Much Ado About SHIELD
by newbie93
Summary: Young FitzSimmons are high school seniors partaking in the annual Drama League production at the prestigious SHIELD Academy. Pretty soon, life begins to imitate art as the gang gears up for the big production of William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. Bickering rivals, denied crushes, and devious scheming are ALL present in... MUCH ADO ABOUT SHIELD


_**Written by myself and etoilesdeglace for the Better Together Gift Exchange put on by the FitzSimmons Network over on Tumblr. This was written for otherpartyfavors and mrsdecaestecker and was inspired by the prompt, "Much Ado About Nothing." Obviously all characters within belong to Marvel/AoS. Enjoy!**_

 **Much Ado About SHIELD: Act I**

 _ **INTRO…**_

The boy and girl stand close together, hands clasped as they look upon each other with affection and tenderness. The boy takes a step forward and looks at his future wife as he opens his mouth to speak his vow.

"Give me your hand before this holy friar. I am your husband…umm… if you'll take me? No I mean, if you'll have me… Uh… Shit."

"Cut!"

Phil Coulson's voice booms out from where he is sitting in the center of the auditorium. He lets out an audible sigh that seems to carry out through the enormous room and stands up as he looks at the kids standing in front of him. He can see the tension between them and knows that starting from the top won't do any good so he waves his hand dismissively in their direction and says, "Take five."

The second the words leave his mouth, the actors on stage immediately drop the old English and turn to one another in frustration.

"It's, _if you like of me._ Oh _honestly_ Fitz! How many times are we going to have to rehearse this scene before you actually manage to get it right?!"

"Bloody easy enough for you to say Simmons. I'm pretty sure if you were to actually crack open your script for once, you'd see that I have quite a few more lines to memorize than you!"

"Oh _really?_ How many times have we had to 'take five' because _I_ couldn't remember my lines? The answer, Fitz, is zero."

"Again, _Simmons,_ it's easy to remember your lines when you have _less lines to remember."_

"Ugh Fitz, do you _really_ want to start this again?"

The boy merely stares defiantly back at her and raises his eyebrows in challenge. Jemma is more than happy to accept.

"Fine, Fitz. Let's go through it _again._ _Enter LEONATO, Governor of Messina; HERO, his Daughter; and BEATRICE his niece, with a MESSENGER."_

"Oh don't start with that… Yes I _know_ you've memorized the entire damn play Simmons. You're not the only one! For Pete's sake here we go… _LEONATO: I learn in this letter that Don Pedro of Aragon_ …"

"... _comes this night to Messina."_ Simmons finishes the sentence with a smirk and continues reciting the play until Fitz steps in and talks over her.

Offstage Skye stares at the two in wonder as they get progressively louder, cutting each other off at every sentence and turning red in the face as both refuse to stop for a breath. Skye turns to Coulson with a look of disbelief as the Director steps beside her to take in the spectacle.

"What I don't understand, is how you can see that," she points to Fitz and Simmons, who are now screaming the play at one another in an attempt to outdo each other, "And stand by your casting decision. In _what_ world are those two Claudio and Hero? Answer: No world. In _no_ world are Fitz and Simmons Claudio and Hero. They are the literal, real-life embodiments of Beatrice and Benedick and I just don't get how you don't see it."

Coulson sighs slightly at the young girl and the fact that she's again making her displeasure regarding his casting decisions known.

"I _do_ see it Skye. I would have to be both blind and deaf not to recognize the similarities between FitzSimmons and BeaDick. Wait no… That's not… That's not as good. Don't let that catch on. _Skye._ Stop laughing, I mean it. I don't want to hear Hunter yelling BeaDick when he gets here later."

Skye is snickering at the portmanteau and Coulson sighs in disappointment at his stage manager's lack of maturity. He'd expected a bit more from the high school senior but can only thank his lucky stars that none of the boys had heard what the central characters' names form when combined together.

He decides that the best course of action is to simply let Skye's laughter subside but after a solid minute and a half of her whispering, "BeaDick," under her breath and making herself crack up again, Coulson decides that the _actual_ best course of action is to threaten to make her stay late after rehearsals to organize props in Scene order.

This shuts her up almost immediately and Coulson smiles at his quick thinking. He takes advantage of the girl's momentary silence to explain for the thirteenth time why Fitz and Simmons had been cast in their respective roles.

"While I realize that Fitz and Simmons are essentially the modern high school version of Beatrice and Benedick, this is a _play_ Skye. The goal is _not_ to have people play themselves. I want to give people a chance to _act,_ not to just be themselves while portraying characters that are exactly like them."

Coulson keeps his eyes on Fitz and Simmons, who have already reached Act III in their recite-off, and sighs at the two seniors.

"Acting is meant to make people push their limits and bring them out of their comfort zones. Well, I figured nothing makes FitzSimmons more uncomfortable than having to get along, so if they can't do it in real life, lets make them in the play."

He turns to face Skye who is staring him with a knowing look and a smirk on her face. Coulson has come to learn to be nervous whenever he sees such a facial expression on Skye. While he'd originally thought it was simply the girl's resting face, he quickly discovered that it's such a common look because Skye _always_ knew something. The smirk probably was natural, but the knowing look was exactly that.

"What is it Skye?"

He looks at her profile as she turns to face the stage with an innocent expression.

"Hmmm… Oh nothing."

Coulson knows better than to believe _that._ Skye's innocent look isn't fooling him because he knows that 'Skye' and 'Innocent' are two words that don't go together unless the context is _Skye is_ _not_ _innocent._

" _Skye._ "

She turns to him with a grin and mirth in her eyes. Coulson should probably have his Assistant Director teach the girl how to hold her ground a bit better but doesn't think May would appreciate another task added to her growing list.

"You Director Coulson, like everyone else in this production, heck, like everyone else in this _school,_ want Fitz and Simmons to be FitzSimmons. You're making them play Hero and Claudio _to set them up._ "

Coulson turns back to the stage, much as Skye did before, for the sole purpose of avoiding the girl's gaze. Her assumption wasn't _necessarily_ correct. He _actually_ cast FitzSimmons… Fitz _and_ Simmons… as Hero and Claudio in the hopes that they'd learn to work together and realize that together they're twice as capable.

That being said… If the experience let them grow a bit closer and realize how blind they both are… He wouldn't object. But he can't let _Skye_ know that.

"I'm doing no such thing. I have no personal interest in the relationships of _any_ of mystudents. But I _will_ admit that I'd been _hoping_ that playing Hero and Claudio might get those two to work together… and yes, maybe even get along."

Skye scoffs at this and nods her head at the stage. "And how's that going? Because in case you haven't noticed, those two are _still_ bickering. This happens once a day and, interestingly enough, the _only_ scene during which Fitz messes up his lines is the wedding slash _kissing_ scene. Coincidence? I think not."

Coulson doesn't think it's a coincidence either but that's neither here nor there. He's confident that those two will work things out before opening night and if they don't…

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Skye ignores his rather pathetic attempt at denial and instead continues to stare contemplatively at Fitz and Simmons. She moves to tap her finger against her chin and tilts her head as she takes in the sight of FitzSimmons who are now standing with their arms crossed, facing opposite directions and giving each other the silent treatment.

"The question is… does Fitz realize he's messing up because he's nervous to kiss Jemma, or do you think he's still telling himself it's because he hates her? Hmm…"

Skye turns to quirk an eyebrow at him and Coulson has to find all the strength within him not to answer her question with his own two cents.

"No comment."

Skye rolls her eyes before her gaze locks on something behind his shoulder and she lets out another laugh. "Well, at least you won't have to worry about Hunter and Bobbi's big kiss scene as BeaDick…"

Coulson shoots her a warning glare. " _Stop_ saying BeaDick. And what makes you think that Morse and Hunter won't have any issues?"

"Because based on how much they're currently practicing for it… They shouldn't have any issues. Later Coulson!" Skye points behind him with a slight grimace and Coulson turns to be greeted with the sight of Lance Hunter and Barbara Morse eating each other's faces in between arguments of their own.

Coulson sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose before taking a deep breath and shouting, "All right everybody, lets try this again. From the top of Act 4!"

He plops down in his seat and watches as the SHIELD Academy Drama League scurries across the stage to find their places. Fitz and Simmons are elbowing each other, Hunter and Bobbi are switching between bickering and making out, and he can hear Skye's laughter from where she's standing in the wings.

Coulson sighs again in both exhaustion and trepidation as he opens his worn script of _Much Ado About Nothing._

"What have I gotten myself into."

 _ **TEN DAYS PRE-PRODUCTION…**_

A soft knock echoes throughout the room, breaking the all-consuming silence, but John Garrett doesn't so much as look up from his paperwork as he calls out. "Come in Ward!"

The SHIELD senior tentatively opens the door to the office and nervously pops his head in through the small opening. "You wanted to see me sir?"

Garrett glances up at the boy and carefully removes his glasses before placing them on the papers resting on his desk. "Yes son I did, come on in."

Grant Ward slowly makes his way across the room and takes a seat in the worn-down leather seat across from Garrett. He's skeptical as to why he'd been called out of class today considering the last time he'd done something against school policy was on Monday…

Clearly the powers that be at SHIELD have gotten sloppy, no longer concerned with immediate action against student disobedience. Ward knows that navigating the remote-control helicopter through the school's ventilation system was _definitely_ against school rules but at the time it had seemed far more preferable to sitting through another boring class and hearing those FitzSimmons kids belt out the answer to every question.

As he gets slightly more comfortable in the chair, Grant prepares himself for a lecture from his mentor turned father figure. He winces when Garrett moves forward and then grows confused when the man across from him changes course and leans back into his chair with a mischievous smirk that Grant _knows_ spells trouble. He'd been the one _giving_ that smirk on more than one occasion and tenses as he prepares for whatever Garrett has in store.

The man leans further into his chair and ends up saying the last thing Ward would have expected him to.

"So Grant, let me ask you a question. Have you heard about Phil Coulson's little Drama League production?"

 **Much Ado About SHIELD: Act II**

 _ **TWO WEEKS UNTIL OPENING NIGHT…**_

Despite everyone's doubts, Hunter actually manages to put together a rather _potentially_ decent cast bonding party.

Most of its likely success stems from the fact that Mack's uncle owns _Playground,_ the only somewhat decent club in their small town of Providence, and agreed to keep a table reserved for them over the weekend after Hunter started crying when he'd denied them the first time.

The only downside is that James Mackenzie makes it _very_ clear that none of the students will be served alcohol while at Playground, meaning that they're now all awkwardly preparing to pregame in Hunter's basement.

Hunter, Mack, and Ward are all playing pool when the girls descend the stairs into the basement, chatting amicably as Skye gesticulates wildly while she describes something Coulson had done earlier in the day.

"I mean… he popped up out of nowhere _right_ as I was about to mess with Hunter's mic. It's like he _knew_ I was planning to adjust the settings to make chicken noises. It was actually kind of creepy. He just emerged from the shadows, shook his head, and grabbed the mic out of my hands."

Jemma and Bobbi laugh as the other girl shivers. They smile warmly at the boys, each pouring their respective drinks, before settling in on the ratty couch in the corner. Jemma takes a long pull of Skye's doctored drink, wincing at the taste of the alcohol, before adjusting herself on the couch and turning to face the other girls.

"You think _that's_ creepy?! Have you _seen_ the way Garrett just lurks around all the time? He's always grimacing and staring at us. It's rather sinister isn't it?"

Bobbi and Skye nod in unison as the latter jumps at the chance to badmouth the History professor. "Totally! Dude's definitely got a creepy vibe. And I don't think I've heard him say two words to anyone other than Ward, which is creepy in it's own right because the only person that talks less than Garrett is _Ward._ He literally _never_ speaks."

Jemma takes a far larger sip of her drink and snorts in derision at Skye's latest comment. "No, he really doesn't… Unlike _Fitz,_ who can't seem to shut up."

Skye and Bobbi share a glance at this and roll their eyes simultaneously as Jemma continues. "It would take a true miracle to get him to go _five_ minutes without speaking. Or arguing I should say. How he's managed to make friends when he spends every breath bickering with everyone he meets is _beyond_ me."

"Okay Simmons A. Fitz doesn't argue with everyone, he only argues with you. And B, you saying that is basically the epitome of the pot calling the kettle black."

Jemma opens her mouth in indignation but before she can properly articulate her offense, Skye cuts her off.

"And if you're going to get so worked up over the topic, then focus your thoughts on something else, like say… finding a boyfriend to spend your senior year with!"

She ends the statement with a waggle of her eyebrows and an elbow to Jemma's stomach. Bobbi is nodding enthusiastically on Skye's other side, grinning mischievously as she chimes in. "Hey, maybe you'll find someone who doesn't talk _or_ argue."

Jemma huffs in response to this, shaking her head and rolling her eyes at Skye and Bobbi while infusing as much sarcasm as she can into her retort.

"Oh wouldn't that just be _delightful_. What would I do with someone like that, talk _at_ them instead of _with_ them?! Speech and debate are rather necessary considering both are signs of intellect. If he speaks too much, he's not the one for me, and if he speaks too little, I'm not the one for him."

Skye looks at the other girl as though she's grown two heads and shoots a disbelieving look at Bobbi. When the other girl shrugs her shoulders, Skye's gaze focuses back on Jemma. "So what, you're just going to spend your senior year single? Where's the fun in that!"

Bobbi laughs at this and is quick to support her friend's statement. "Yes dear Jemma, why be single when there are so many opportunities to _mingle."_ Her eyes flit over to where Hunter is leaning over the pool table taking a shot before returning to Jemma with a wink.

Jemma gags at the display, never really one for watching Bobbi and Hunter moon over each other like lovesick puppies. Her own eyes are focused on her drink as her mind quickly calculates whether or not chugging it will shorten her time to insobriety. She shrugs her shoulders and downs her drink before daintily using a napkin to wipe her mouth and turning back to Bobbi and Skye.

"I just don't see the need to find a boyfriend when the _boys_ we have to choose from are so uninteresting and generally awful."

Bobbi again looks at Hunter, who is now using the cue stick to make crude gestures at Ward and Mack, and sighs at the sight because her on-again boyfriend is really just proving Jemma's argument. She settles on just shrugging nonchalantly, no longer finding a need to object to Jemma's statement.

Skye on the other hand slowly sips her drink while staring at her phone as she mumbles, "Not _all_ of the guys at SHIELD are terrible…"

Bobbi and Jemma share a knowing grin at this and the former decides to use Skye's subtle implication as a means of figuring out the other girl's relationship status. "Ah yes, speaking of Trip…" She pauses for a moment to take note of Skye's blushing cheeks and Jemma's uncontrollable giggling, _oh god the lightweight is already tipsy,_ before turning towards the boys and raising her voice.

"Hey Hunter where's everyone else? Aren't we supposed to be heading over to Playgroundin like, twenty minutes?"

Hunter turns to look at the girls before glancing at his watch. "Yeah Fitz and Trip said they'll just meet us there. I guess they were working on a project and lost track of time. Raina said that she may or may not show up so don't hold your breath on that one. I figured we'd all just walk to the club, it should only take about ten minutes. Trip said he's driving so he'll be tonight's DD and just take us all home after. Good?"

The girls groan at the word _walking_ , and each stare forlornly at their respective heels. Hunter rolls his eyes at their despondent faces and smacks Mack in the chest in an attempt to get the other boy to commiserate with him. Mack however, looks about just as eager, re not at _all,_ to walk to the club as Jemma, Skye, and Bobbi and Hunter grumbles at the other boy.

"I mean… I could _ask_ my step-mom to drive us but… I'm not sure you really want to listen to Isabelle lecture us on the dangers of underage drinking and the need to stick together, 'semper fidelis style,' at the club." Hunter tilts his head questioningly at the others gathered in the room and when nobody disagrees he claps his hands. "Great! So we'll head out in ten, get some quality exercise, and get the party started when we roll up to Playground in twenty _._ "

-O-

 _Forty-five_ minutes later the small group finally makes it to the club. Hunter's ETA had been based on how long it would take to _drive_ to Playground meaning that the actual journey took about thrice as long. The girls are glaring daggers at the boy as they stagger in a line of three to support each other's weight on their stilettos.

"I'm _sorry!"_ Hunter's words are ignored by all, save for Ward who smacks him upside the head, as is the boy himself.

Mack leads the group up to the bouncer stationed outside the doors and they're waved into the club with no issue once the older man sees the boy's ID. The minute the doors open they're met with blasting music and a pounding bass that seems to reverberate through them. The sight of a wide array of costumed clubbers also greets them and Bobbi turns to follow Ward's lead and smack Hunter the second she processes the visual.

"Dammit Hunter! You didn't tell us it was costume night!"

Hunter holds his arms up defensively as he takes in the glares of his peers. "How the bloody hell was I supposed to know?! Mack's the one whose family owns the damn place, he should have been the one to inform us of the night's theme!"

He turns to look at the taller boy who just shrugs his shoulders and walks forward into the club. The rest of the group shoots Hunter one last glare before following Mack into the establishment. They glance around in wonder at the sheer size of the venue and take in the massive crowds. There doesn't seem to be a single free inch of space and if it weren't for Mack's looming height the group would have no idea which direction to head in.

Skye glances at her phone and reads the text that had lit up her screen. Her eyes skim the phone and she turns towards the rest of the group. She starts to speak at a normal decibel before realizing that the only way she'll be heard is to yell as loud as she can.

"TRIP AND FITZ HAVE BEEN HERE FOR A HALF HOUR. TRIP SAYS OUR RESERVED TABLE IS ON THE SECOND FLOOR. BACK LEFT CORNER."

Jemma and Bobbi sigh in relief at the prospect of being able to sit down and the boys just give each other thumbs up rather than attempt a verbal response. Jemma and Bobbi begin heading for the stairs but Skye looks longingly at the dance floor. Mack notices and grabs her hand with a laugh, "Come on you. Let's tear this place up."

Skye grins at the taller boy, "Just keep those hands where I can see them Mack," and they move forward, getting lost in the sea of dancers.

Bobbi grabs Jemma's hand and tugs her to the stairs as she shouts over her shoulder and demands that Hunter buy her a drink since he forced her to walk a half hour in four-inch heels.

The girls work their way to the second floor and spot Trip leaning against the balcony with his eyes focused on where Mack's looming figure is visible in the sea of people down below. Jemma and Bobbi share a look, both knowing that it likely isn't _Mack_ that Trip seems so focused on, and sidle up to him, sandwiching him between them.

Trip grins at them and is quick to sling an arm over each of their shoulders, putting on his suave voice as he speaks to them. " _Ladies."_

Jemma laughs, peering up at him and doing her best to match his flirty tone with one of her own. _"Antoine."_ She pairs it with a rather pathetic wink, that's really just a very slow blink, and Trip throws his head back in laughter.

He turns to Bobbi with a grin, keeping an arm wrapped around Jemma to support her weight, and gives the taller girl a knowing look. "This one's been drinking huh?"

Bobbi tries to hide her grin but can't help it from breaking free as Jemma pushes Trips arm off of her shoulder and steps back to stare at him indignantly.

"And just _why_ do you think that Triplett? I'll have you know that I'm _perfectly_ sloder. Slowber. _Sober."_

Trip just raises an eyebrow at her and Jemma can practically hear the boy's silent, "C'mon girl."

Jemma groans slightly at him and mumbles, "That might have been a lie," as she leans heavily against the banister.

Bobbi looks at her friend in sympathy and grabs her hand. "Come on Jem, let's get you seated. Trip, which way to the table?"

The boy points to a large booth twenty or so feet away that is roped off from the public with a small _reserved_ sign sitting in the center. Bobbi heads off in the direction and waves her hand appreciatively at Trip's assistance. The girls make it to the table and Bobbi quickly plops Jemma down on the soft leather of the booth. Jemma smiles up at her in appreciation and Bobbi pats the other girl's head with a smile. "I think it's time we get some water in you. Sound good?"

Jemma nods with a wince and Bobbi gives her one last smile before heading towards the bar in search of some non-alcoholic beverages, leaving Jemma alone at the booth to observe the other people in the club.

-O-

Fitz spots Trip leaning against the balcony and grins as he sees what, rather _who,_ it is that the other boy is staring at. He walks up to the other boy, tapping him on the shoulder before quickly moving to the other side of him. He snickers when Trip falls for the old trick glancing to his right before noticing Fitz at his left.

"Really original Fitz. What's with the mask?" Trip nods at the black mask covering the shorter boy's face and quirks an eyebrow in question.

Fitz grins at the boy before looking down at where Skye and Mack are jumping enthusiastically in time with the pulsing bass. "Some girl gave it to me, said it was a costume party and if I wasn't wearing a _costume,_ I should at least have a mask on."

Trip nods at this before pausing, replaying what Fitz had just said, and whipping his head towards the other boy in shock. "Jeez man, what's with the accent?"

Fitz laughs at this and shrugs. "Coulson asked me about possibly giving Claudio an American accent so I figured I'd give it some practice tonight. You know, see if I can pull it off."

Trip just shakes his head with a smile on his face. "The other guys showed up a little while ago. I haven't seen Ward or Hunter yet but Simmons and Bobbi headed over to the table a few minutes ago and Mack and Skye…"

"…are dancing terribly and incredibly, respectively, down below. Yes I see that." Fitz glances at Trip with a small smirk before continuing. "Skye sure can dance."

Apparently his attempt at subtlety fails spectacularly because Trip cuffs him on the head with a snort. The taller boy's gaze falls back to Skye and his smile grows a bit softer. "She really can."

Fitz isn't really sure what to make of Trip's tone, it's both wistful and somewhat proud, and so he decides to leave the other boy in his reverie. He pats Trip on the back and tells him that he'll be over at the table. Trip nods at Fitz and waves him off with a grin and a, "Try not to pick a fight with Simmons."

Fitz rolls his eyes and turns to move in the direction of the booth. He stops when he sees Jemma sitting alone at the table and almost decides to turn back around to walk in the opposite direction. Instead he's struck with an idea and walks towards the booth with a mischievous grin on his face.

He stops at the rope surrounding the table, adjusting his mask and coughing once to get into character. "Hello."

The American accent isn't perfect but it's apparently believable enough for Jemma to look at him with surprise rather than her usual scowl. Her eyes roam over him and for a brief moment he's worried that she'll be able to see through his façade and roll her eyes in derision.

Instead she lets out a tentative, "Hello..."

He wants to cheer at the response because it means that, despite everything she's told him in rehearsals, Fitz actually _can_ act. Part of him wants to rip off the mask and reveal himself to Jemma so that he can laugh at her falling for his little trick, but an even larger part of him wants to extend the ruse for as long as he can pull it off.

He leans casually against the column nearest the booth and stares at her for a moment. He can't tell if her blown pupils are an indication of how much she'd participated in Hunter's pregame or if they're merely a result of the complete lack of lighting in the club. Jemma stares at him as he stares at her and it's silent for a moment until she speaks up.

"Can I help you?" He's surprised by how _not_ rude she sounds. If he hadn't been wearing a mask Jemma would likely spit the words at him in sarcasm and pair it with a nasty sneer. _Who knew that she actually had the ability to be somewhat polite?_

"Sorry, I didn't mean to bother you. I ran into some Scottish kid a few minutes ago and he told me he was avoiding this booth because of the girl sitting in it. I figured I should see what was so awful about her and…" Fitz shrugs his shoulders and gestures around to indicate that he's now doing exactly that.

He wants to laugh when he sees Jemma stiffen and roll her eyes derisively. "That sounds like _Fitz_."

He doesn't _love_ the venom with which Jemma speaks his name but hadn't really been expecting a positive reaction. He tilts his head in feigned confusion and looks at her with furrowed brows. "Fitz?"

Jemma rolls her eyes again and moves her gaze out towards the sea of people as she speaks dismissively. "Just some kid from school. He's not worth knowing unless you want to spend your time with a mindless idiot who thinks he's better than everyone around him. Or if you enjoy debating every topic that could possibly exist, I'm sure Fitz would be more than happy to blather in your ear."

Fitz is slightly taken aback by the words. They'd always bickered, sure, but he's always been under the assumption that most of their arguments were a two way street. And in what world did _he_ think he was better than everyone else? _She's_ the one who feels the need to jump at him for every mistake or error he makes. He feels the need to defend himself and tentatively decides to make an attempt.

"That… that seems a bit harsh."

Jemma's eyes flit to his and for a moment he's struck by how her gaze still seems to paralyze him. She opens her mouth to speak as her stare shifts back to focus on anyone other than him.

"Hardly. Besides, I'm sure he'd tell you worse things about me."

 _Well he certainly would_ _ **now**_ _._

He hums noncommittally and opens his mouth to respond when he see's Bobbi walking in the direction of the booth. Fitz may have managed to trick Jemma into believing he's someone else but there's no _way_ that Bobbi will fall for it. She's scary good at reading people and he's almost _convinced_ that her future career will involve interrogation. He turns back towards Jemma and gives her a strained smile.

"Well, I'm sure that's not true. But if it is then I don't want to be present to hear such terrible things. It was nice meeting you!"

Fitz catches Jemma's look of confusion before he scurries away, discarding the mask as he does, and searches for Trip.

-O-

Jemma watches the stranger run off and puzzles over the odd encounter.

Bobbi plops down across the booth, handing Jemma a glass of water and looking in the direction that the stranger had run off in. "Who was that?"

Jemma shakes her head and shoots her friend a bewildered look. "I honestly have no idea."

Bobbi's eyes narrow before she turns to Jemma and hums suspiciously. Jemma shrugs her shoulders and takes a long drink of her water as she tries to avoid Bobbi's gaze. She certainly has nothing to hide but sometimes Bobbi will just stare at her until she's satisfied that Jemma is being truthful.

She'd make a rather good interrogator actually.

-O-

When Fitz finds Trip again he sees who he _thinks_ is Raina walking away from the other boy with a smirk on her face. Fitz pauses for a moment to stare after her before resuming his gait and leaning up against the balcony next to Trip.

"What was that about?"

"Hmm? Oh nothing."

"Do you want to say that again and at least _try_ to make it sound convincing?"

"It's really nothing. Raina was just telling me about some gossip she'd heard at school about… about how Mack was interested in pursuing Skye."

Fitz bursts out laughing at this because everyone at SHIELD is well aware that Skye and Trip have been tentatively approaching couple status. The boys know not to make a move on Skye, and the girls know the same thing about Trip. It's the school's worst kept secret and Fitz can't help but wonder how the only people who could be so clueless about TripSkye are _Trip and Skye._ People can be so oblivious. He laughs again at this and slaps Trip affectionately on the back.

"Oh _please._ Mack likes Skye just about as much as I like Simmons."

Trip straightens immediately and his head whips towards the shorter boy in surprise. Fitz is a bit startled by the look of shock on Trip's face and falters a bit, not fully understanding why the other boy actually looks _upset_ by his statement.

"I mean… I'm sure Mack likes Skye as a _friend;_ I don't think anyone could _actually_ like someone as little as I like Jemma. I just… I just meant that I don't really think Skye's the girl Mack has his eyes on. I'm pretty sure he's still crushing on that sophomore in his mechanics class… Lola?"

Trip eyes him for a moment before he doubles over in hysterics that cause Fitz to take a step back and just stare in bewilderment at the other boy. It takes a solid three minutes for Trip to regain his composure and he straightens with tears of laughter in his eyes.

"You're right Fitz. Mentioning your relationship with Simmons really put things into perspective for me." He laughs again and shakes his head before affectionately patting Fitz on the back. "Thanks man."

Fitz nods good-naturedly at his friend before he spots Bobbi and Jemma making their way towards them. "Speak of the devil…" He turns to give Trip another smile before heading towards where Hunter is trying to convince the bartender to give him a beer and away from Simmons.

-O-

Jemma rolls her eyes as she spots Fitz for the first time, _it's been such a pleasant evening so far,_ but then grins smugly when he catches her eye and promptly turns around to head in the opposite direction.

When she and Bobbi reach Trip he's wiping at his eyes and Jemma instantly grows concerned. "Are you alright?"

He grins down at her with a smile. "Yeah all good. Just laughing at something funny that Fitz said. The real question Jemma Simmons, is are _you_ alright? And by alright I mean sloder, slowber, and, more importantly, s _ober_."

Jemma rolls her eyes at his last sentence and instead chooses to focus on the first. "Fitz said something that someone _other_ than himself laughed at? Miracles really do happen."

She misses the look that Bobbi and Trip throw each other and _really_ misses Trip mouthing, "Need to tell you something hysterical later," to Bobbi over her head. She's normally quite perceptive but her focus is zeroed in on a figure that's weaving her way through the crowd down below.

"Is that Raina?"

Bobbi immediately looks down with a look of surprise but Jemma only notes the way that Trip's face seems to darken at the mention of the other girl's name.

"You alright Antoine." Jemma tries not to pry but she's never actually seen Trip look anything other than jovial so she feels the need to at least gently inquire.

"Yeah fine. She just got me all riled up. Told me about someone crushing on Skye and…" He chuckles self-deprecatingly and shrugs his shoulders bashfully.

Bobbi and Jemma both coo in adoration at his silent admission and both girls move forward to hug him. When they step back the girls share a look and turn back to face Trip.

"If it's any consolation…" Bobbi glances Jemma who nods encouragingly. "You have our blessing. And, not that you're hearing this from me, but I'm pretty sure that even if someone else _was_ crushing on Skye… you wouldn't have to worry about it."

Jemma gently smacks Bobbi in feigned admonishment but there's no real power behind it because she thinks that it's about damn time someone give Trip the go ahead to actually make a move. He grins down at them and holds out a hand that Bobbi and Jemma quickly high-five.

-O-

At the end of the night the group is all piled into Trip's car and on their way home. They'd decided to sit in order of drop-offs (Ward first, then Fitz, Simmons, Mack, Bobbi, Hunter, and Skye) meaning that by the time the car pulls up to Ward's house, Fitz and Simmons are elbowing each-other in the first row and bickering as usual.

Ward looks relieved to be leaving and gives Trip an appreciative nod before clambering out of the car and slamming the door behind him. Fitz wastes no time unbuckling his seat belt and shifting into the vacated seat. More than one person in the car mumbles, "Thank _god,_ " when the extra space between them shuts Fitz and Simmons up and causes them to exchange silent glares rather than audible barbs.

The car pulls up to Fitz's house a few minutes later and he pats Trip's shoulder in thanks for the lift while giving everyone else in the van a warm goodbye. He ends with a derisive, " _Simmons,_ " and closes the door in her face before turning to amble up his driveway.

Jemma of course scoffs at this and spends the three minutes it takes to drive to her house asking the others if _they can believe his audacity?_ They all appealingly agree that it was just plain rude of him to do that, which causes her to shoot them all a beaming smile as she hops out of the car and waves her goodbye.

The second Jemma makes it safely into her house the remaining people in the car turn to each other in unison. It only takes about a second of exchanged glances to realize that they're all on the same wavelength.

Skye looks at the faces of Bobbi, Hunter, Trip, and Mack and decides to take initiative and just say what they're all thinking.

"We've tried to let those two sort out their issues on their own but they're both too stubborn to do it. It's time to take action. We need to start Operation FitzSimmons _immediately."_

 _ **11 DAYS UNTIL OPENING NIGHT…**_

Ward's phone buzzes on his desk, the light from the screen brightening its surroundings and drawing Professor Weaver's attention.

"Is there something you'd like to share Mr. Ward?"

"No thank you, just a reminder." He flashes her a little smile that feels entirely too uncomfortable on his face.

Smiling isn't really Ward's thing considering he greatly prefers his trademark smirk. He's well known throughout the school as being both a player and a prankster, meaning that his standard smirk gets more than enough opportunities to show itself. An actual _smile_ however doesn't usually make an appearance on Ward's face all that often. Unless he's using it as a means of trying to charm someone - teachers included – the smile remains locked away in a little box that Ward very rarely opens.

In fact, the last time he _truly_ smiled was sophomore year with a brunette laughing at his side. Her laughter lit up her big brown eyes and her smile was so contagious when she slid down the banister towards him that Ward couldn't help but smile back. They hadn't done anything _technically_ against the rules, but they were teenagers, they were allowed to be a little wild and reckless.

She's gone now though, at least from his life. He hadn't really gotten the hang of the whole monogamy thing and had somehow managed to mess up the best thing he'd ever had before it even really got off the ground. He and Skye had come to an abrupt end when she'd found him wooing one of the incoming freshman and the next thing Ward knew, Skye was leaving for Puerto Rico to spend a summer with Habitat for Humanity. She hadn't said goodbye and she certainly hadn't reached out to say hello since she'd returned.

He sees her around sometimes, now more than ever since they're both working on this play together, but Ward has become more closed off and Skye, ever jubilant and carefree, has moved on. She's happy. No biggie, good for her. And yet… when Garrett had proposed his plan and told Ward about everything he'd have to do to make sure it goes off without a hitch, Grant hadn't hesitated to agree.

Ward is snapped out of _that_ particular train of thought when he hears someone clear their throat in warning. He glances up and is quickly reminded that Weaver is _definitely_ not someone who will fall for his charm, so he makes a show of shoving his phone away into the depths of his backpack.

Satisfied by the display, Professor Weaver turns to face the board and continues with her lesson, "Alright, so if you have the co-efficient of the equation you can use matrices to determine..."

Ward's attention immediately strays from the board and the accompanying lecture. _Who even needs this information in the real world anyways?_ Instead of paying attention to Weaver's droning voice, Ward discretely turns on his smart-watch, one of the many perks of coming from a wealthy family, and checks his latest message.

 _ **9 DAYS UNTIL OPENING NIGHT…**_

Trudging into the costume department, Fitz can't help but dread the day that looms before him.

Costume fittings followed immediately by the rehearsal of his _favorite scene_ with Simmons. Personally, he thinks that they've rehearsed the scene enough, but Coulson and practically everyone else agrees that they need to run through it at least once or twice more so that everything will be flawless opening night.

Fitz understands their concerns - hell they hadn't managed to properly make it through the scene _once_ since rehearsals had begun weeks ago- but it's not as though he doesn't know his lines. His mind just decides to go on vacation whenever Jemma looks up at him from under her veil and says that she'll be his wife.

Is it a problem? Yes.

But do they need to rehearse the scene again, and again, and _again_? No.

He's said on more than one occasion that Coulson has nothing to worry about, and yet, here they are preparing to run through it once more. Coulson has organized a run-through of the play for _The Hub,_ the town's newspaper, and the Director has stressed more than once the need to _impress_ the critics. The Koenig brothers are some of the harshest critics in the local industry and good reviews are necessary in order to make up for the past few years of let-downs.

Fitz sighs at the added pressure and trudges in the direction of the costume department to face the appraising eye of Victoria Hand. His day takes a turn for the better when he arrives in the costume department and finds a note that says his fitting will now be the last of the male fittings for the day. There isn't any reasoning for the schedule change mentioned on the mysterious note and Fitz briefly contemplates about how odd the situation is.

He's halfway through the storage room on his way to Ms. Hand's office to inquire about the change when the door creaks open behind him and he hears Trip's voice echoes off the walls, "I can't believe it. _Jemma_?! Of all people."

"Shhh mate, Fitz might be here." The second voice belongs to Hunter and Fitz instantly knows that he's overhearing a conversation he's not meant to be privy to.

"Nah man his fitting isn't for an hour, he's probably fast asleep in the balcony or something." Mack's voice has now joined the fray and Fitz instantly panics. _Shit_.

All thoughts of tuxedos and tight pants vanish immediately as his curiosity overtakes him and the devil on his shoulder encourages him to scan the room in search of a good hiding place. Spotting a worn-out couch against the wall with a quilted blanket folded nicely over it's arm he dashes over and grabs the blanket - placing himself behind the couch as he lays down on the floor under the blanket and presses himself up against the wall. Although it's not the most comfortable position, it's the perfect place to listen to his three peers and remain undetected.

"Kinda makes you feel bad for Simmons doesn't it." The boys' voices are growing louder, as they head in his direction, and Fitz strains his neck to hear them more clearly.

"Has she told Fitz about her crush?"

 _What?!_

"No, and she swears she never will."

"Why?" The voices are even louder now and Fitz _knows_ that they're definitely headed in his direction.

"Well what would do you think Fitz would do if he found out that Jemma requested to play Hero after hearing from Skye that _he'd_ been cast as Claudio?"

 _Huh?! That can't be right. That makes no sense._

"Probably make her life a living hell." Hunter scoffs under his breath.

Fitz hears a round of chuckling at this before he hears Mack speak up as he takes a seat on the couch, "Doesn't he do that already?"

"What like you and Bobbi do?" Trip responds at the same time as he joins Mack on the couch.

From his position, Fitz can see Hunter pacing back and forth across the small clearing in front of the couch. "No! I mean kind of but at least we have some respect for each other... at least I _think_ we do... Fitz and Simmons don't even have _that_ , they're basically enemies."

Hunter pauses his march for dramatic effect, turning to face his friends. "Just think of the possibilities that come with finding out that your supposed enemy has a crush on you! They're endless and, knowing Fitz, he'd make a sport of it and torment the poor lady!"

"Lady?" Trip and Mack are barely containing their laughter, "Since when is Simmons a _lady_? She's younger than all of us Hunt."

The other boy groans at the teasing, defensively saying, "Shut up okay. Stupid Shakespeare is getting to me," before he resumes his pacing.

"So is Bobbi _also_ a Lady then?" Mack jokes.

Hunter has to practically yell to be heard over the other boys' laughter. " _Shut up_ , we aren't talking about me and Bobbi we're talking about Fitz and Simmons and how in love with Fitz Jemma is." This statement sobers the others up quickly as they nod thoughtfully while Fitz's mouth drops open in astonishment.

 _No. There's no way. He doesn't believe it._

There is no way that _Simmons_ has a crush on him. They must have the wrong information because whatever feelings Simmons may have for him are most _definitely_ not romantic.

Mack seems to share his doubts, "Are you sure man? I still don't think that she feels anything for him other than anger and disdain, I mean have you _seen_ the way she treats him?"

Trip chuckles before responding "That's the genius of it! She's a smart one that Simmons, she _acts_ that way to cover up her feelings. You know, to protect herself from Fitz and his constant teasing. Skye jokes with her about her crush enough as it is."

"Well, I still think that she should just tell him and get it out of her system."

 _Ah Mack, always here to be the voice of reason._

"Are you kidding me?!" Hunter exclaims, stopping his pacing, "She'd die!"

"Figuratively." Trip corrects, "Skye said that's Jemma would 'die' no matter what though. Apparently, she'll die if Fitz finds out, she'll die of embarrassment if he doesn't like her back, or she'll die of happiness if he does."

Even Mack has to concede to that, "That actually does sound like something Skye would say… very dramatic isn't she?"

"Tell me about it." Trip scoffs.

Retreating around the corner Hunter rolls his eyes at Trip's subtle hint at his relationship. "No offense Trip, but I'd rather not spend any of my time hearing about your love life." He moves to leave the room and waves over his shoulder in dismissal.

"And yet, you're _more_ than willing to discuss Fitz's!" Trip laughs at the other boy as he leaves.

Hunter turns back quickly to respond. "Well his love life is very much a hypothetical one and yours is very much…. ugh _not_ hypothetical."

"WELL IT-" Trip's response is cut off by the closing storage room door as the other boy makes his escape. "Whatever."

Mack pats his friend on the back as he chuckles. "Yeah, that dude's not really the best example of a model love life."

"And he's one to talk about a 'hypothetical love life.' Please, he and Bobbi are an ongoing cycle of lust and anger." Trip scoffs as he shakes his head in derision.

"I don't know man I've known them both for a long time and while I agree that their _situation_ isn't ideal, I've never seen either of them as happy as when they are together." Mack pauses. "Although they _can_ argue at levels that almost rival FitzSimmons."

It's silent for a few moments before Trip speaks up again. "Do you really think she should tell him?"

Mack sighs contemplatively and pauses thoughtfully before answering. "Yeah but I understand why she hasn't. I love Turbo but-"

Suddenly another voice joins the conversation, cutting Mack off mid sentence. "Is it true then?" Fitz had been so focused on Trip and Mack that he'd completely missed the door opening and Coulson entering the room.

"Is what true sir?" Mack asks.

"I've heard from many a source that the reason Simmons asked me to play Hero is because I cast Fitz as Claudio."

The silence in the room seems to confirm the answer to his question because Coulson hums contemplatively as he says, "I've got to admit, it makes sense. Jemma had been eager to work backstage until the day _after_ I'd told Skye about casting Fitz as Claudio. I'd asked her if she was interested in playing Hero before but she'd declined… Then… next thing you know, Fitz is cast as Claudio and Jemma is coming to me asking if the role of Hero was still available."

"So you're okay with it then sir?" Trip questions cautiously.

Coulson looks to the boy in amusement. "Of course! Plus I don't really have a say in your personal lives do I..." The Director pauses briefly to shoot Trip a knowing look. "That being said… quit sneaking glances at my Stage Manager during rehearsal. Literally everyone knows Trip, there's no need to hide it."

Trip blushes and moves his gaze to the floor with a small smile. "Noted sir."

"Great! So fill me in - has Jemma told Fitz yet?" Coulson's shift from responsible adult to gossiping student is so sudden that it takes Fitz completely by surprise and he ends up missing the first part of Mack's response.

"- he'd likely scorn it. He does have a contemptible spirit."

 _A_ _contemptible spirit_ _? A_ _contemptible spirit_ _?!_

Fitz has no such thing. He's a very kind soul, forgiving and sincere. Sure, he can hold a grudge, and good luck trying to beat him in a stubbornness contest but… but he is not _contemptible_ _!_

"A _what_ spirit?" asks Trip.

"A grumpy-cat mindset." Fitz is surprised when the words come out of Coulson's mouth instead of Mack's.

Trip looks just as shocked by the older man's quick breakdown of Mack's phrase. "Thank you for putting that in modern terms."

Coulson waves his hand somewhat dismissively before returning his gaze to Mack. "No problem. What I don't understand is how Fitz hasn't noticed the way Simmons looks at him. He has eyes right?"

"Fitz has always been _allegedly_ uninterested in the whole dating thing, he swears that he won't get a girlfriend until he's got at least one PhD since - according to him - _girls are such a distraction_."

Fitz scoffs at this because, PhD's or no, he's still a teenager. He has eyes, and feelings… and hormones. Hormones that are currently waging a war inside him as part of him wants to maintain his childish stubbornness while the other wants to find out if what his friends are saying about Jemma is true. If she really _does_ like him and if he might have another shot to make up for the fiasco that was…

Fitz quickly shakes his head at the memory, not willing to leave the present and miss anything that's being said.

"Although, why _wait_ for a girl that equals him intellectually and socially when Jemma already meets _both_ criteria."

"And they're so young, imagine what would happen if they actually got together now! They're literal geniuses, think about what they could accomplish if they quit being so stubborn and actually decided to get together!"

 _Alright Trip, calm down. These are just hypotheticals. It's not like he and Jemma were actually going to get together and become lab partners and spend everyday together and- no. Stop. Just hypotheticals. Plus they'd tried before and it hadn't been a good experience for either of them, he can still remember the look on her face..._

"Trip, if you keep saying things like that, SHIELD is going to snap you up for a teaching position here in no time. Actually, I heard that your grandpa was…"

A loud noise goes off and Coulson glances down to look at the comms. He sighs in irritation at the device before looking back up. "Clearly I'm needed elsewhere and I can only assume that you two are as well." Coulson raises an eyebrow at the two boys who hastily begin speaking.

"Yeah Lola asked me to give her a hand making some of the sets." Mack rises from his spot on the couch.

"Then I guess I'll go find Hunter since he's first up for the costume fittings." Trip leaps off the couch with more enthusiasm than his friend as he pats Mack on the back.

Coulson nods in approval at their respective plans. "Great! Then I'll see you two boys later at final run-through." Coulson heads towards the door with Trip and Mack on his heels.

Fitz doesn't move a muscle for a full minute before his brain registers that he's alone now and completely free to move from his rather uncomfortable position. As he scrambles out of the hiding place he processes the new information that he'd just learned.

Simmons, Jemma Simmons, _Jemma._ Likes _him_. As in, _likes him._

The girl who _hates_ him... cuts off his sentences, degrades his image to strangers, races him through the many lines of this play, competes for the top mark in every course, elbows him in the ribs and bickers with him constantly... _Likes_ him.

If it weren't for Coulson, Fitz isn't sure he'd even believe that the conversation he'd just overheard was anything other than a cruel joke. His friends have pranked him before but Director Coulson wouldn't condone that sort of behavior, let alone take part in it. If _Coulson_ says that Jemma asked to play Hero because _he_ was playing Claudio, then Fitz believed it.

And if _that's_ true… maybe the part about her liking him was as well.

He contemplates this until he's broken out of his reverie by the sound of Trip and Hunter approaching. "Oh come on! Just put me in a suit and I'll be good, why do we have to go through these costume fittings?"

Trip sighs in exasperation at the other boy's complaining. "Because we just do, okay?!"

Fitz steals away out the back door of the storage room just as the pair enter through the front. The new information about Jemma is giving him a slight headache and makes him sit down on the bench outside to contemplate this new turn of events. If he's certain about one thing, it's that this is _definitely_ not how he'd been expecting his day to go.

 _Jemma Simmons will be the end of him._

\- O -

 **Much Ado About SHIELD: Act III**

 _ **ONE WEEK UNTIL OPENING NIGHT…**_

Jemma is sitting in the dressing room waiting for Victoria Hand to arrive to fit her in her costume when she spots a stack of Polaroids on the vanity in the corner.

Her curiosity gets the better of her and she moves towards them, flipping through the stack and noting that each photo is a picture of the various costumes that Vic had designed for the play. Some of the outfits are truly stunning and Jemma gasps when she reaches a photograph of a gorgeous navy dress that leaves her drooling. She slowly turns the photograph over and gasps again when she sees _HERO 2.1_ written carefully on the back.

 _That dress is for her?!_

She can't even believe that something so gorgeous could exist, let alone exist for _her_ to wear, and her eyes flit over to the large wardrobe on the other side of the room. Jemma _knows_ that she should wait for Vic to show up before ogling any of her costumes but her desire to look at the dress _right now in person_ causes her to move towards the wall and tentatively open the wardrobe.

She's met with a sea of color and the sight of costume after costume, each made from a different material and arranged neatly by act, scene, and character. Her fingers move nimbly across the fabric until she spots the shimmering navy dress from the photograph. She pulls it off the rack and gasps once more as she takes it in. It's a stunning gown and she wonders whether or not she'll actually be able to do it justice. Jemma holds it out in front of her and simply stares at it in wonder.

She's broken out of her reverie by the sound of voices coming closer and, in a blind panic, she jumps into the wardrobe and shuts the door in the hopes that she won't get caught by Vic taking a sneak peek at her costumes. She holds her breath as she peeks through the small crack between the wardrobe doors and prays that she won't get caught in such an embarrassing situation. When it's Skye and Bobbi who walk in, Jemma sighs in relief.

Bobbi plops down on the couch as Skye hastily shuts the door behind her after scanning the area to make sure that they're alone. Jemma moves to present herself to her two friends but then Skye begins to speak and her words stop Jemma in her tracks.

"I'm going to tell you something that I overheard and you have to _swear_ that you won'trepeat it to _anyone... Especially_ not Jemma."

 _Especially not Jemma? What is_ _ **that**_ _supposed to mean?_

"Cross my heart. Now spill." Bobbi quickly pulls the other girl into the seat next to her with a wicked grin.

Skye turns to face the other girl fully and excitedly launches into her story. "Okay, I was hanging in the wings the other day… as I do… when Coulson and May walk up and start talking about the play. Now, normally this would be the point when I tune them out because I literally _can't_ deal with having this play take over my free time too, but _then_ things got a little more interesting…"

Skye pauses her story to glance at Bobbi, teasing the other girl by dangling the vague bit of information in front of her. Bobbi rolls her eyes at Skye's blatant attempt to get her to fish for more details but her curiosity makes her fall for the little trap. "What _things_ and define _interesting._ "

Skye grins again and leans forward as she continues. "There was a slight shift in the topic of conversation, and they went from talking about rearranging the lighting to Coulson's casting decisions. No big deal right?"

"Right…" Bobbi nods her head in acceptance.

"No, wrong!" Skye shouts and quickly claps her hand over her mouth to make sure that she and Bobbi, who is now looking incredibly confused, are still alone and away from prying ears or eyes. "Wrong?"

Skye bounces giddily on the couch as she nods at Bobbi's question. " _Right._ Because _apparently_ Coulson was heavily influenced in his decisions by a little birdie who requested a _specific_ role."

Bobbi's mouth drops open in shock and she grabs Skye's arm to prod for more details. "Seriously? Who! God, it was Raina wasn't it? She _would_ want to play that creep."

"Nope." Skye smirks at the other girl.

"Grant?"

"Nope again." The smirk grows.

Bobbi rolls her eyes at Skye in irritation. "Am I going to have to run through the entire cast list or are you going to save us both the time and just tell me?"

Skye leans forward, glances around once to make sure they're still alone, and whispers conspiratorially at Bobbi. " _Fitz._ "

"What?!" Bobbi leans back in shock as she openly gapes at Skye.

Jemma herself leans forward from where she's hiding in the closet to get a better view through the small crack in the door.

"I know!"

" _Why_?!" Bobbi is completely and utterly confused by the reveal and stares at Skye in bewilderment.

Skye glances around _again_ before leveling Bobbi with a serious look. "Okay, this is the part that you _seriously_ cannot tell _anyone._ "

"I promise, I promise! Gimme the deets!" Bobbi waves her hands at Skye and anxiously tries to quicken the pace at which Skye shares her information.

"Well _apparently,_ and this came _straight_ from Coulson's mouth, Fitz asked to play Claudio after he'd heard that Jemma had gotten the role of Hero."

 _Fitz did what now?_

Jemma's mouth drops open at Skye's statement and she feels her heart begin to thump against her chest.

Bobbi seems to be equally surprised as her eyes bug out in astonishment. "What?!"

"I know!" Skye is grinning at the other girl, nodding her head rapidly at Bobbi's look of surprise.

"There's no way..." Bobbi shakes her head at Skye in complete disbelief.

" _I KNOW!"_

"Tell me everything, _why_ would he do that? He _hates_ Jemma."

Bobbi's comment, though not exactly a new revelation, causes something inside of Jemma to twist uncomfortably. She's well aware of Fitz's dislike for her, has been for sometime now, but hearing it audibly confirmed by someone other than herself still stings. The fact that it's no secret that Fitz dislikes her makes Skye's gossip seem that much less believable to Jemma. But the other girl continues speaking so Jemma strains against the closet door in order to hear every word Skye says.

"According to Coulson, Fitz overheard that Jemma was cast as Hero and _immediately_ asked if he could audition for Claudio instead of Benedick. I guess Coulson pressured Fitz into telling him why he suddenly wanted to read for another character and then the poor little guy spilled the beans."

"Skye, get to the point! What beans?"

Jemma silently thanks the universe for Bobbi's impatience because at this point Skye's dawdling is just getting ridiculous.

"Fitz is crushing on Jemma and wanted to play the Claudio to her Hero because he was hoping that if they spent more time together she might grow to reciprocate his feelings!"

 _Say what?_

Jemma's mouth drops open again as she tries to process her best friend's words. Her initial instinct is to completely disregard Skye's statement but then she notes the way that the other girl is practically vibrating with excitement. Skye squeals the second she drops the bomb on Bobbi and begins to clap in enthusiasm as she watches the other girl's mouth gape open.

Jemma has seen Skye successfully lie on more than one occasion but she has _never_ seen her successfully pull one over on Bobbi. The fact that Barbara Morse is goggling at the other girl is proof enough for Jemma that Skye is in fact telling the truth.

She slowly lets her knees buckle and kneels in the wardrobe as she tries to control her breathing and prevent the others from hearing her. For some reason she feels as though she's on the verge of a panic attack and has to physically place her hands over her mouth to prevent any noises from escaping.

"Are you _kidding_ me?!" Bobbi's exclamation is followed quickly by her shaking her head in what _looks_ like sympathy. "Oh man… poor Fitz."

 _ **WHAT?!**_

"Poor Fitz? What the hell do you mean _poor Fitz_?!"

 _Yes, thank you Skye. Why should_ _ **Fitz**_ _be the one on the receiving end of Bobbi's sympathy?_

Bobbi's voice raises an octave as she speaks in defense of her previous statement. "Because there's literally no way that could ever happen! In no world would his plan ever work. The poor guy just set himself up for disappointment."

Skye seems to contemplate this for a moment before she hesitatingly replies. "Yeah… I guess."

Bobbi scoffs at this and levels Skye with a look. "You guess? Come on Skye. We both know that if _anything_ spending so much time together has only made Jemma hate him _more._ She couldn't stand Fitz in the first place and now she seems to be even more exasperated with him than she was before."

Skye sighs in resignation at this and nods in acquiescence. "True… they can't seem to go two minutes without some sort of blow-up. They used to at least be able to last five without bickering. Oh man… You're right, I do feel bad for him."

"I mean it's literally a thou doth protest too much situation isn't it? He pretends he doesn't like her because he's actually crazy into her." Bobbi exhales and shakes her head in sympathy for the boy.

"Aww… Fitz. And it was actually really sweet of him going to Coulson and asking to play Claudio! Man, now I really _do_ feel terrible for him. Should we… I don't know, tell Jemma or something?" Skye's hesitant with her question, and for good reason considering how quickly Bobbi responds in the negative.

"Are you _kidding?!"_ Bobbi looks at the other girl as though she's crazy and immediately begins shaking her head.

Skye jumps at the other girl's exclamation and immediately turns defensive. "Well I don't know! Maybe if she knew she'd… I don't know, ease up on him or something? Maybe if we told her she would back off a bit and…like… be nicer?"

Bobbi shakes her head at Skye sadly. "I'm pretty sure the exact opposite would happen. Telling Jemma would be a total fiasco. Could you imagine how she'd react to that? I love her, she's one of our best friends but… Her feud with Fitz has escalated to the point where I worry she might just use the information to gain the upper hand over him."

Skye nods thoughtfully at this before sighing in disappointment. "Yeah… I guess you're right."

Jemma feels her eyes prickling with unshed tears as she processes what her friends are saying. _Did they really thing she would do that? That she'd sink so low just to rise above Fitz?_

She pauses for a moment to think back over the past few years and realizes that, to outside parties, she _might_ be capable of doing something so cruel to the boy who had spent _years_ making her life so unbearable. But she'd thought he _hated_ her and now she's sitting in a wardrobe listening as her best friends discuss his recent change of feelings.

"All right… Well then I guess we should just stay mum then. Let Fitz decide whether or not he'll make a move. My bet's on _not_ considering how terribly they're still behaving around each other." Bobbi's sentiment causes Skye to nod sadly in agreement. She looks as though she's about to verbally respond when her hand suddenly moves to her earpiece as she listens intently to whoever's speaking on the other end.

She stands up with a sigh and extends a hand down to Bobbi to help the other girl up from the couch. "I guess Donnie messed up the lighting again and Coulson needs me to go see if I can do anything. I don't know why he doesn't just ask Fitz though. The guy's a genius with that stuff."

Bobbi nods in agreement and lets Skye hoist her up from the couch. The two move towards the door and cast one last cursory look around the room before exiting and making their way to wherever Coulson is waiting for them.

Jemma waits until she can no longer hear their footprints before slowly extracting herself from the wardrobe in a stunned silence. She gingerly places the blue dress back in its rightful place before turning to collapse on the couch that Skye and Bobbi had just vacated. She sits in a stupor as her mind replays the past few minutes and she tries to make sense of what Skye had revealed.

 _Fitz asked to play the part of Claudio because he knew she was playing Hero._

 _Fitz made the request because he wants to spend time with her._

 _Fitz_ _ **likes**_ _her._

When Vic waltzes in five minutes later, Jemma is still sitting on the couch, with her face in her hands and a million thoughts running through her head.

-O-

"Trip?" Skye speaks into the small microphone attached to her headset as she and Bobbi make there way away from the dressing room.

"Yeah?" His voice comes in somewhat staticky but Skye grins at the sound.

"Phase Two is complete." Skye smirks mischievously at Bobbi as she talks.

"Noted. Phase Three shall commence shortly. Over and out." Skye laughs at Trip's sign-off and turns off the mic.

She and Bobbi walk for a few moments before the taller girl turns to her with a conspiratorial grin. "Do you think it worked?"

Skye groans at the question before turning to respond. "It _better_ have worked. We waited for like, a full hour, to catch Jemma alone in that dressing room. Thank god you gave Vic a heads up about what we were doing, if she'd been in there we _never_ would have been able to trick Jem into that wardrobe."

Bobbi laughs at this and nods in agreement. They're silent for another few moments before she turns back to Skye, this time a bit more hesitant. "We're doing the right thing… right?"

Skye quickly loops her arm around the other girl's and responds confidently. "Oh definitely. We deserve a medal for how far we're going to get those two together. They're too stubborn to realize that they're both head over heels for each other. All we're doing is giving them a much needed push in the right direction."

 _ **6 DAYS UNTIL OPENING NIGHT- MORNING…**_

"I still don't fully understand what it is exactly that we're doing."

It's the last Saturday before opening night and Skye and Jemma are sitting in the former's car on their way to the _Bus_. Coulson scheduled a full dress rehearsal for noon so some of the cast and crew are meeting for breakfast before a full day of running lines and adjusting stage equipment.

At least… that's what Skye had told Jemma last night when she'd convinced the other girl to join.

In _actuality_ Team FitzSimmons have decided to take _Operation_ FitzSimmons to the next level with a triple date _disguised_ as a cast breakfast. Skye and the others had thought the breakfast ruse was a good one, at the very least _believable_ , but this is the third time Jemma's asked for clarification and Skye is beginning to wonder if the other girl really _had_ fallen for the lie at all.

"Oh god, Simmons. I literally don't know how many times we have to go through this. We're going out to breakfast."

Skye is thankful that she's the one driving because if she were in the passenger seat she likely would have already begun bashing her head against the window. Her head may not have made contact with any stationary objects but it sure feels like it has since her headache is growing because Jemma is _still_ talking.

"Yes but why are we going out to breakfast with Lance, Bobbi, Trip, and _Fitz?"_

Skye groans at the question and wonders if Trip is dealing with similar ones. He'd been the one tasked with convincing Fitz to come but Skye has a feeling that the other boy is likely being far easier to deal with than Jemma. She's sure that all it took was Trip saying the word, "breakfast," for Fitz to readily agree to the pre-rehearsal get together.

"I don't know Jemma, because it's a leads only breakfast." It's silent for a few blissful moments and Skye almost exhales in relief before it turns into a long sigh as Jemma turns to face her again.

"If it's a leads only breakfast… why are _you_ going to be there…?"

Skye pauses at this question because s _hit, it's actually a good one._ "Because I like breakfast, my _god_ Simmons what's with the third degree?"

Jemma turns to face the windshield and Skye notes the way that the other girl seems to be frowning slightly. "I just have a feeling that you're not being particularly honest with me Skye…"

 _Oh no._

"… and I think I know _exactly_ what it is that you're hiding."

 _Oh she does. She totally knows. This is so not good._

Jemma turns back to face Skye and levels her with a glare that actually makes the girl somewhat uncomfortable. Skye fidgets under Jemma's scrutinizing gaze and nervously taps her fingers against the steering wheel in an attempt to avoid the other girl's gaze. Out of nowhere Jemma's impassive face morphs into one of pure delight and Skye has to do a double take to make sure she isn't seeing things.

 _Nope. Jemma's definitely grinning like a maniac._

Jemma claps her hands in excitement before leaning forward and speaking triumphantly. "You're tentatively trying to date Trip and this is step one of your process."

"What?!"

Skye is thankful that they're stopped at a red light because she probably would have driven off the road at Jemma's comment if the car were moving.

"Yes, all social protocol that I've seen indicates that the predecessor to a first date is a _group hang._ Meaning that this ' _leads only breakfast'_ is actually your way of maintaining a casual environment while ensuring that there's slightly more intimacy than what would be present at a party, or say, an _actual_ cast breakfast."

Jemma quirks an eyebrow at this and smiles mischievously before continuing with her wildly incorrect assessment. "You asked your two closest friends, Bobbi and I, to join you for breakfast while Trip asked _his_ two closest friends, who happen to be Hunter and _unfortunately_ Fitz."

For the first time in possibly her entire life, Skye has no idea what to say. "Umm… right…"

Jemma beams over at her and then gives her an almost proud look. "It's actually rather ingenious Skye, I'm quite impressed. You have an already established couple and two people who can't stand each other. Bobbi and Hunter's nauseating affection will counterbalance my and Fitz's general discomfort, meaning that you and Trip will be happily in the middle, and therefore will be able to flirt without having to worry about anyone else increasing the amount of pressure placed on you."

Whatever Jemma's talking about actually _does_ sound pretty ingenious so Skye willingly takes the credit, grinning and nodding enthusiastically. "That… Yes. Yes, Simmons you're absolutely right."

Jemma claps again in delight before shifting back in her seat to peer out the window, whispering, "I _knew_ it," happily under her breath.

-O-

"So who all is coming to breakfast?"

Fitz is sitting in the passenger seat of Trip's car munching on a Pop-Tart that he'd affectionately dubbed his pre-breakfast, breakfast. He's staring out the window and Trip wonders how exactly Fitz is going to react to the guest list of this alleged last-minute get together.

He decides to remain as vague as possible for as _long_ as possible and just shrugs noncommittally at the other boy's question. "The guys and the girls."

Fitz is still slightly distracted by the passing cars outside the window but not distracted enough to accept such an unclear answer. "Right… but who are the guys and who are the girls?"

"You, me, and Hunter are the guys…"

"What about Mack?

Trip laughs at this because he sometimes forgets the amount of detail Fitz needs in order to be content with certain information. "Yes Fitz, Mack's also a guy. So is Ward for that matter. They just said they weren't interested in waking up for breakfast."

Fitz nods at this. "Okay that makes sense. Who are the girls?"

 _Ah, the trickier question._

Trip quickly glances at the other boy, who is looking at him inquisitively, and takes a deep breath in preparation. He reasons that the best way to approach the situation is to simply rip off the metaphorical Band-Aid as quickly as possible. "The girls are Bobbi, Skye…"

Fitz cuts the rest of Trip's sentence off. "Jemma?" He's sitting hunched in his seat and is staring at Trip with narrowed eyes.

Trip keeps his eyes focused on the road ahead and avoids glancing at his friend. "Yes, _and_ Jemma."

Fitz is silent for a few moments before he suddenly sits up straight and groans in consternation. Trip shoots him a worried look and when he looks over, Fitz is staring at him accusingly. "Is this some sort of set-up? Is that what's going on? Because Skye's been staring at me funny all week and I know her scheming face when I see it."

"Why would you think this is a set-up?" Trip turns to face Fitz with a look of utter surprise.

 _Thank you Director Coulson for the acting tips._

"Because Hunter and Bobbi are a couple, you and Skye are _basically_ a couple, and me and Jemma…"

"…still hate each other right? I mean, you've made it pretty clear that you can't stand each other and I'm pretty sure everyone and their mothers are aware of it. What kind of masochists would we be if we tried to set _you two_ up and then stuck around to watch inevitable blow-up? No way Fitz." Trip stares contemplatively at the other boy before continuing.

"Which again begs the question: Why would you think this is a set-up?" He pauses for a brief moment and raises an eyebrow at the boy in the passenger seat. "Were you _hoping_ this was a set-up?"

Fitz jumps in his seat and stares at Trip in astonishment. "What?! No! I just… just wanted to confirm that it wasn't is all."

Trip doesn't buy the denial for a second because he watches as Fitz slumps back down into his seat and stares out the window far more forlornly than someone who's allegedly happy about _not_ being set-up on a date with Jemma Simmons.

-O-

"Okay Bob, remind me one more time. Are we setting up FitzSimmons with the help of TripSkye… or are we setting up TripSkye with the help of FitzSimmons?"

"For the _last_ time Hunter. The _fake_ cast breakfast _today_ is FitzSimmons. The _actual_ cast and crew dinner _tomorrow_ is TripSkye."

"Right… Gotcha."

-O-

Trip and Fitz end up arriving at the Bus at the same time as Bobbi and Hunter and the four head into the diner to claim their favorite table. Hunter and Bobbi sit across from each other at the two of the end seats and Trip sits down at the other end seat in the same row as Bobbi. When Fitz moves to sit across from him, Trip just stares at him with a raised eyebrow until Fitz takes the hint and leaves the seat open for Skye.

Fitz plops down in the middle seat between Bobbi and Trip and crosses his arms in irritation. He stares across from him and bemoans the fact that, in just a few minutes, he'll likely be staring at Jemma's smug face.

-O-

As it turns out, Fitz is only given about a minute to relish in the Jemma-free view. Skye's laughter rings through the Bus almost immediately after the other four have settled and a few moments later she's plopping down across from Trip with a grin and accompanying wink.

Jemma is a bit slower to sit down, eyes zeroing in on the only empty chair that is available. She has a rather decent view of it because Fitz, whose back is turned to her, is slouched so low in his own chair that she's able to easily spot her seat over his head. She groans slightly under her breath before reminding herself that she needs to behave because _this is for Skye._ Jemma plasters a smile onto her face and walks around the table, squeezing Bobbi's shoulder as she passes, before sandwiching herself between Hunter and Skye across from Fitz.

There's a bit of an uncomfortable silence but it only lasts a few moments because the waitress suddenly appears ready to take their orders. The girls go first, eggs for Bobbi, pancakes for Skye, and the fruit platter for Jemma. The boys follow quickly Lance opting for bacon and eggs and Trip joining Jemma with the fruit platter. Both Fitz and Hunter give Trip an appalled look at his choice of breakfast but the other boy just shrugs and points to his chest, saying, "No junk goes into this temple." Everyone else rolls their eyes at this but Skye just looks at Trip appreciatively and winks as she wolf-whistles in his direction.

"And what'll it be for you dear?" The waitress turns to Fitz who eagerly straightens up and begins to list half of the menu. The girls stare at him in equal parts astonishment and disgust but Trip and Hunter just grin and give him a high-five when he ends with, "…and a glass of apple juice please."

The waitress is gaping at him slightly but nods as she begins to recite their order back to them. After about a minute she reaches the last order and glances warily at Fitz "…and a chocolate chip short stack, bacon egg and cheese sandwich with double bacon double cheese and two eggs, a side of bacon, a side of hash browns, and an apple juice for blue eyes." She glances at Fitz warily but he just nods eagerly in confirmation. The group begins a chorus of 'thank yous' and she turns away muttering, "Kids," as she does.

Skye immediately leans forward to quietly speak to Trip, and Bobbi quickly takes the hint and mirrors the action with Hunter. Fitz and Simmons stare warily at the two couples before leaning back in their seats and crossing their arms.

Skye barely holds in a sigh but lets out an affectionate laugh when Trip nudges her foot beneath the table. She turns to talk to Jemma in an effort to bring the other girl out of her Fitz-funk as Trip does the same with the boy next to him. After a few minutes of stilted conversation the tension finally lessens as the group settles into a groove, discussing the one thing that they're all involved in: the play.

They spend a few minutes lamenting the waste of the Saturday before the girls quickly change the topic to how stunning Victoria Hand's costumes are. The boys roll their eyes at this and simply let the girls gab about fashion and makeup.

Eventually, the waitress arrives with their food, placing each plate- _plates_ in Fitz's case- in front of its respective patron and the group eagerly tucks into their meals, putting all conversations on hold in favor of eating. After a few moments of silence, broken only by the sound of chewing mouths and sighs of appreciation for the delicious food, Hunter looks around the room and speaks up with a grin.

"This is actually where Bobbi and I came for our first date. Sat in that booth right over there." Hunter points to the corner booth, often the preferred seating for the town's young couples, before shooting his girlfriend a mischievous look. "Remember Bob?"

Bobbi groans at the question and Hunter grins at her reaction. He chuckles merrily before leaning conspiratorially to speak to the rest of the group, "It was, quite possibly, the worst date in the history of the universe."

Bobbi groans again and shakes her head at Hunter fondly. "It was _awful._ Oh my god, just thinking about it is making me question why we're still together." Hunter chuckles at this but stops immediately as Skye begins speaking.

"Please. There's _no_ way it could have been worse than the infamous FitzSimmons date from freshman year."

The statement is said with the same inflections used for more mundane topics as Skye carelessly drops the information bomb as though it's a throwaway topic. She laughs lightly and shakes her head in mirth, ignoring the stunned faces of her peers as she snatches the syrup off the table and begins to drizzle it over her food.

The table is silent for a moment as the rest of the group processes Skye's words. She is now nonchalantly eating her pancakes but everyone else is staring at her in shock, minus both Fitz _and_ Simmons whose own eyes are focused on their respective plates of food. If it weren't for their reddening faces, one would think that they hadn't even heard Skye's comment.

After a moment Bobbi leans towards Skye and says, "I'm sorry, I think I'm going to need you to repeat that because there's no _way_ that the words I heard could actually have been the ones you said."

She pauses a moment to glance at Jemma, whose eyes are downcast and cheeks are red, and begins to falter with her assumption that Skye had been joking. "Because _I_ heard something about Fitz and Simmons going on a date, which is… No. There's no way. I'm sure I heard that wrong."

"Girl, if you misheard, then so did I because I also heard the words _Fitz, Simmons, and date_ in that sentence." Trip's eyes can't seem to stop moving as they flit back and forth between the aforementioned pair. They finally land on Skye and he quirks an eyebrow to see whether or not she's telling the truth.

Unwilling to be left out, Hunter leans across Jemma to speak to Skye. "Same! Do we all need hearing aids or is this legit? Or, wait, is this is a prank? Because that would be more believable than what you just said."

Finally Jemma lifts her eyes from her plate to glare at the girl next to her, who looks properly apologetic as she smiles tentatively and says, "Oops?"

-O-

She is absolutely going to _murder_ Skye. The second the words leave the other girl's mouth Jemma is taken back to what had been the worst day of her freshman year. She doesn't want to make eye contact with anyone at the table, least of all the boy sitting across from her, so she keeps her gaze focused on the fruit plate in front of her and ignores everything within a five-foot radius.

The ostrich method doesn't work as well as she'd hoped it would because she can _feel_ everyone's eyes on her. Every few seconds she feels the hair stand up at the back of her neck and knows that it's an indicator of her peers' staring at her. She wonders briefly if Fitz is experiencing a similar sensation and then shakes her head because, _why should she care about Fitz._

 _Oh right, because he's apparently been harboring a secret crush for who knows how long._

It's not until Hunter physically pushes himself in front of her and her food to barrage Skye with questions that Jemma finally slowly lifts her head to glare at her friend. The moment she makes eye contact with Skye, and notes the _slightly_ apologetic expression on the other girl's face, she quirks an eyebrow and clenches her jaw. The eyebrow raises and the jaw tightens when Skye does nothing but shrug and say, "Oops."

"Oops? _Oops?! Skye!"_ Jemma hisses under her breath at the other girl, hoping to convey how livid she is without actually raising her voice and drawing any more attention than she's already received.

Skye straightens up in her seat and turns to face her with pleading eyes and a _marginally_ more believable look of remorse. "I'm _sorry_! It just slipped out! Hunter and Bobbi were talking about bad dates and it just reminded me of what you told me about what happened on your date with Fitz and…"

Skye doesn't get to finish her sentence because suddenly another voice from across the table speaks up. "What did you tell her about what happened on your date with me?"

Jemma's eyes flicker over towards Fitz in surprise, both at the fact that he's speaking to her and by the underlying desperation in his voice. His face looks equal parts panicked and curious, which causes her own expression to shift into one of bewilderment. "I…"

Jemma finds herself unable to speak but it doesn't matter because Skye quickly pipes up next to her. "She told me that it was the absolute worst date she'd ever been on and likely _would_ ever go on."

Normally Jemma would just nod in agreement with Skye's words but before she can make her head move, she notices Fitz's reaction. He looks almost… almost _crestfallen…_ which doesn't make any sense because it's not as though Skye saying they'd been on a bad date was any big revelation. It _had_ been a bad date, and had essentially been the catalyst to their now four-year rivalry.

But Fitz is looking at Skye as though she's punched him in the gut and when he softly says, "Oh," Jemma feels as though _she's_ the one who's been hit. She almost opens her mouth to try and tweak Skye's description of the date, perhaps adjust some of the words to make her past comments seem less extreme, but then Fitz shakes his head and straightens up in his seat and the hurt in his eyes quickly shifts into the fire that she's grown accustomed to seeing.

He looks contemplative for a moment before picking up a piece of bacon and munching on it as he nods his head thoughtfully. "Yes I suppose it _was_ bloody awful…"

Jemma's mouth drops at his sudden shift in mood and drops even more when he looks up at her with a face of disgust as he continues. "…having to spend an evening staring at rotting corpses when there was a perfectly good aeronautics exhibit taking place at the same museum."

Jemma groans at him, feeling increasingly exasperated, and leans back as she rubs her temples in frustration. "Oh for Pete's sake, _how_ many times are you going to bring up that stupid aeronautics exhibit? It was nearly four years ago Fitz, _let it go!_ And we didn't spend one minute around rotting corpses, they were all perfectly preserved!"

Fitz scoffs at this and shudders as though he's having this discussion in the Arctic Circle. "Perfectly preserved my arse! There was flesh, and muscle, and gross tissue, and you couldn't go two feet without worrying about bumping into some skeleton!"

"It was the _body exhibit_ Fitz! I don't know what you expected to see there, but it was pretty much exactly as described in the brochure."

Fitz just shakes his head ruefully at her, unwilling as always to let her get in the last line, and mutters loudly under his breath. "Well it was way more graphic in person… It was nauseating…"

"Yes I remember how nauseating you found it to be Fitz. So do my shoes for that matter." She speaks with derision and outwardly holds her ground but internally Jemma wants to cover her mouth with her hand because she instantly regrets mentioning, even subtly, _the incident._

Fitz turns red at her statement and sinks back down in his chair as he begins to push his food across his plate. He mumbles so softly that she can barely hear what he's saying. "I don't know how many times I can apologize for that…"

Hunter grins at this and leans forward, resting his chin against his hand as he stares Fitz down. "Oooh… now things are getting juicy. What do you have to apologize for Fitz?"

Jemma watches as Fitz turns even redder, and she suddenly feels guilty for bringing up the subject in front of their friends. "Nothing! He doesn't have to apologize for anything."

Everyone in the group turns to stare at her in shock and Hunter makes a show of sticking his finger in his ear, wiggling it a bit, and then pulling it out to lean in her direction.

"I'm sorry, I thought I just heard _Jemma Simmons_ say that there was nothingfor _Fitz_ to apologize for. Jemma Simmons the same girl who spent twelve minutes last Thursday demanding that he apologize for _borrowing her pencil._ "

Jemma blushes a bit at Hunter's statement and look of incredulity and quickly glances at Fitz who has somehow managed to sink even lower in his seat. "Yes… well that _was_ my favorite pencil… And he _did_ owe me an apology for taking it without asking… I just… I just meant that he had nothing to apologize for from _that night."_

Jemma wants to sigh in dismay when she sees Bobbi turn her gaze to her. She's never been able to beat a Morse interrogation and she's worried that today will be no different. The other girl leans across the table and gives her a calculating look.

"But if you told Skye that the date was awful… It likely means that Fitz _did_ something awful that he needed to apologize _for_ … So Jemma, what happened that made the date so awful, and made Fitz apologize as he says he has?"

Jemma shoots Fitz a worried look but his eyes are staring resolutely at the scraps on his plate. "Umm… You know… Just, just usual bad date stuff."

Bobbi hums suspiciously at this and raises an eyebrow. "Usual bad date stuff huh? Like what?"

Jemma feels her heart begin hammer against her chest and knows that in a few seconds she'll likely begin to panic-sweat. Panic _glisten_ as Coulson would say. "You know! Just… just trivial things. Complained about the exhibit and… stuff…"

"Stuff?"

 _My god will this never end?_

Jemma opens her mouth and her eyes dart quickly around the table in an attempt to see if anyone will save her from this situation. Trip and Hunter look just as curious as Bobbi and Fitz isn't looking up from his plate. She turns to her last resort and shoots Skye a pleading look. The other girl nods her head and Jemma sighs in relief at the fact that she now has someone to help her face Bobbi.

The relief dissipates almost immediately because Skye leans over, gets one look at the intimidating stare that Bobbi is giving her, and promptly blurts out what Jemma had been trying to keep hidden for the past few minutes.

"FITZ THREW UP ON JEMMA!"

" _SKYE!_ " Jemma stares at Skye in frustration before glancing towards Fitz, whose head is now banging against the table repeatedly.

"No way! Bloody hell mate! You barfed on Simmons?!" Hunter begins laughing hysterically and Bobbi reaches across the table to smack him. She then turns to the boy whose head is now unmoving on the table, with only his red ears visible, and looks at him in sympathy.

"Sorry Fitz, I wouldn't have kept pushing if I'd known. I figured it was another dumb thing that Jemma was making you apologize for."

Jemma quickly turns from Skye to Bobbi with an indignant, "Hey!" and Bobbi just shrugs in response, which only serves to irritate Jemma more. "While I realize that I often overdramatize certain situations with Fitz… _that_ was not one of them. It was disgusting."

Fitz's head shoots up at this and he levels her with a glare. "That _exhibit_ was disgusting, I told you, I _told you,_ that I wanted to get out of there but you wouldn't listen. You _never_ listen!"

Fitz's voice grows louder with each word and all Jemma can do is stare in astonishment as she sorts through his words. When he finishes speaking she pauses for a moment to stare incredulously before releasing a humorless laugh and leaning forward to scoff at him.

" _I_ never listen? All I do is listen! I listen when you correct everything I do or say, I listen when you finish all of my sentences in class so that you end up giving our professors the right answer, I listen when you spend every waking second trying to one-up me and embarrass me in front of anyone willing to watch. Every minute of every day since freshman year you've been gunning for me, trying to prove you're better than me and…"

-O-

Fitz listens in astonishment at what Jemma is saying and feels his heart begin to sink as he realizes just _how_ she's perceived his behavior. She couldn't be more off the mark and Fitz suddenly releases all false pretenses of anger and straightens in his chair to cut her off.

"You've got it all wrong Simmons!"

Jemma rolls her eyes and scoffs at this and he swears he hears her mutter, "Of _course_ I've got it all wrong," so he quickly rushes to finish what he'd been trying to say in an attempt to make her realize why he'd done all of the things she'd thought were aimed to embarrass her.

"I don't do all that to try and one-up you! I just wanted you to notice me! You were… _are…_ the smartest girl in school and I just… I was just trying to keep up. I thought that maybe if I could keep up, you'd see that combined we're twice as smart!"

The table grows uncomfortably silent at this and Fitz suddenly becomes all too aware of how loud he'd been speaking. His eyes flicker around the group, noting the varying expressions of shock and glee. Bobbi's eyebrow are raised as she studies him, Trip and Hunter are both trying and _failing_ to hold back their smiles, and Skye… Skye isn't attempting to hide _anything._

She's grinning maniacally at him and her eyes rapidly flit between himself and Jemma. He thinks he sees her arms shifting and assumes that it's because her hands are silently clapping in excitement beneath the table.

Fitz looks at Jemma last, worried about what he'll see when he does, and timidly meets her gaze. Her mouth is open and she's looking at him as though she's seeing him for the first time. _Or_ she's looking at him as though he's some foreign alien that just told her about its plans to take over the world. He's not sure which option is preferable.

She blinks slowly at him and opens her mouth wider as if to speak before snapping it shut completely. This happens two or three times before Fitz decides that he's already dug himself into such a big hole that he may as well keep going. He turns his head to face his plate again, feeling as his entire face grows more and more red, and discloses the last bit of information that he's guarded since the infamous date.

"That's… that's why I wanted to go to the aeronautics exhibit so badly. I actually _knew_ about that stuff and thought… I don't know. I thought I might be able to impress you."

-O-

Jemma scoffs as Fitz _once again_ tells her she's wrong. She's about to start challenging him when he continues speaking and she's left completely speechless.

 _He what?!_

He's speaking with such eagerness that Jemma doesn't question for a second whether or not he's being truthful. She'd only ever seen him speak like this when describing an engineering design to Trip during breaks between scenes at rehearsal and _knows_ that Fitz is about as incapable of lying as she is. This fact causes her heart to hammer wildly in her chest because it means that everything he's saying is true. Meaning… _meaning what?_

Jemma lets her mind wander over the past few years and attempts to view their interactions with this new bit of knowledge. She feels her mouth drop open as she realizes that she'd been wrong before. Fitz doesn't just look like this when discussing engineering designs; in fact, he often looks this eager and earnest when speaking to _her._

 _Combined we're twice as smart._

 _Combined we're twice as smart!_

It was true. How many times had she and Fitz been stuck in class waiting for the rest of their peers to catch up and complete the assignments that had taken the both of them ten minutes to do? How many times have their professors tried to pair them together? How many times had _she_ been the one to politely, but vehemently, decline?

Almost _every_ time now that she thinks about it. Fitz had only shifted his gaze to her in what she'd assumed was a dubious look and waited for her to make the verbal call whenever their professors asked.

Jemma can feel Skye bouncing excitedly next to her, can feelthe way that Bobbi's eyes are focusing on her, and doesn't have to tear her eyes away from Fitz to know that Trip and Hunter are likely sharing grins. Her only focus is Fitz though, who's staring at her in trepidation, cheeks a flaming red and eyes a piercing blue that leaves Jemma slightly breathless. She moves to speak but realizes that if she does she'll likely stutter pathetically in a voice roughly three octaves higher than usual.

Just as she thinks she's gotten a handle on herself, Fitz speaks again in such a soft and self-deprecating voice that Jemma once again finds herself speechless.

 _He'd wanted to impress her._ _ **That's**_ _why he'd kept pushing for the other exhibit._

Jemma wants to tell him that she'd been adamant that they stay in the body exhibit for the very same reason. She had no knowledge about aeronautics and hadn't wanted Fitz to see her flounder in the exhibit that he was so intent on bringing her to. She _did_ however, have a vast knowledge of the body and everything in it, so she'd eagerly dragged him through each display to show-off and spout fact after fact in an attempt to hide her nerves at being with a boy that she'd been harboring a rather monumental crush on.

Fitz was also right about the fact that by the end he was practically _begging_ her to stop talking. Jemma had thought he was just being rude and ignoring each of her comments but she now realizes that she had quite literally been making him ill.

Jemma had spent almost an hour and a half describing in detail the various bodily fluids and tissues that they'd been looking at and Fitz had just nodded dismissively with his eyes focused on his feet. She'd grown increasingly frustrated over the course of the night at his behavior, assuming that he just wasn't interested in paying attention to her and had regretted agreeing to Skye's suggestion that he take her place going to the museum with Jemma.

She's seen him in their biology lab since then, had chuckled with the rest of the class when he'd almost passed out during the cat dissection unit, and is now faced with the dawning realization that he hadn't been ignoringher at _all_ that night, he'd simply been trying _not_ to react towards her comments.

Because the only reactions Fitz tends to have, Jemma now realizes, are _physical._ He'd thrown up the moment they'd left the museum to begin the walk home, had collapsed against the wall after the Biology dissection class, and Jemma vaguely remembers his woozy expression when Mike Peterson broke his arm during their sophomore year.

Leopold Fitz doesn't deal well with blood, bones, and the body.

It had become a universally known fact at SHIELD and Jemma can't believe that it's taken her this long to put the pieces together.

 _But he hadn't left her side once during that date. He'd stayed the entire time, listened to Jemma blather on, and stuck it out despite his now clear desperation to go anywhere else._

Jemma finds herself horrified as she begins to understand that Fitz's only reason for staying in a place that made him so uncomfortable was that he'd actually wanted to stay with _her._ She realizes now that almost every argument that had arisen since that night was based on her irritation at the way she'd _thought_ he'd treated her.

"I'm so sorry Fitz."

-O-

Fitz's head snaps up to meet Jemma's eyes when he hears her soft words. He's slightly confused, not sure exactly what it is she's apologizing for, but doesn't have to wait for an explanation since she continues talking.

"I thought… I thought you were just ignoring me that night. And then you kept ignoring me in school afterwards so…"

He glances down at this and fidgets with his hands as he cuts her off. "I was embarrassed. I'd thrown up on the girl I'd meant to impress and… I just avoided you because I felt stupid." He looks up again to shoot Jemma a rueful smile and shrug his shoulders bashfully at her.

Jemma is still looking rather stunned but she gives him a tentative smile in return that causes an instant warmth to permeate its way through Fitz's body. He decides to use Jemma's upturned lips to his advantage and timidly decides to pitch something that he'd been hoping to bring up for years.

"Does that mean… Umm… I mean… Do you think… maybe we could call a truce?"

He holds his breath as he cautiously extends his hand in her direction and lets out a sigh of relief when she glances at for a moment before grasping it in her own. Her eyes flit up to his and Fitz finds that he is paralyzed, his mind unable to focus as it notes the warmth of both her hand and her gaze.

The moment is broken by the whoops and exclamations of their friends, who are all clapping and cheering at the FitzSimmons white flag. Fitz blushes for what seems like the thousandth time and it's not until Skye coughs pointedly at him that he realizes that he's still grasping Jemma's hand. He quickly retracts his arm and nervously runs his hand through his hair, ignoring the fact that it's still tingling from where Jemma had held it.

Skye proceeds to grab her knife, thwack it against her plastic cup, and clear her throat loudly to get the rest of the table's attention.

"I would like to propose a toast. A true miracle occurred today and we were all lucky enough to be present to witness it. Please raise your water cups in acknowledgment of the end of the FitzSimmons feud."

Bobbi, Trip, and Hunter all enthusiastically raise their glasses with a cheer and clank them together. Fitz and Simmons keep their eyes on their respective meals and neither admits to their own internal cheering.

-O-

Phil Coulson watches in astonishment as Trip, Skye, Hunter, Bobbi, _and FitzSimmons_ walk into the auditorium laughing jovially. They're a sure contrast to the other kids who have shown up, looking surly at having to give up their Saturday for play rehearsal.

His astonishment grows when Jemma stumbles and _Fitz_ is the one whose hands quickly move forward to steady her. He thinks his jaw hits the floor when Jemma blushes, tucks her hair behind her ear, and gives Fitz a small smile of thanks. There's no shouting, no elbowing, and no glaring. Coulson watches in wonder as the two just awkwardly smile at each other before parting ways and heading to where their respective costumes are waiting.

Skye walks past him on the way to retrieve her headset and shoots him a smirk as she glides by. "You're welcome."

-O-

"Give me your hand before this holy friar. I am your husband, if you like of me." Fitz grins as he recites the line and squeezes Jemma's hand as she begins to speak.

"And when I lived, I was your other wife, and when you loved, you were my other husband." Jemma removes her mask as she steps closer to Fitz with a small smile.

"Another Hero!" Fitz steps back in feigned surprise as he looks at the girl before him.

Jemma takes another step forward, placing her hand on his chest as she stares up at him. "Nothing certainer. One Hero died defiled, but I do live, and surely as I live, I am a maid."

The moment Jemma finishes her line Fitz surges forward and kisses her as enthusiastically as his character would be expected to. He's not kissing Hero as Claudio though, he's kissing _Jemma_ as _Fitz_ and he doesn't regret it in the least. Their lips move in synchrony for a brief moment until Trip recites his next line and they realize simultaneously that they're kissing onstage.

In front of their friends.

 _And_ Director Coulson.

They break apart, cheeks flushed and breathing erratic, and stare at each other for a long moment before Jemma blinks quickly and steps into Fitz's arms, as was choreographed for the play. His arm immediately wraps around her shoulders and Fitz makes it through the rest of the scene relying on muscle memory alone, too dazed by his tingling lips for any sort of cognizant thought.

The scene ends and everyone is silent for a moment before the room erupts in cheers. They'd managed to run through the play start to finish with no major flubs and it had actually been _good._ Coulson looks like he might start crying from happiness and even May has cracked a small smile. Skye is jumping excitedly in the wings as the actors on stage give each other hugs and high fives.

"Well done Fitz."

He turns at the sound of Jemma's voice and grins excitedly down at her. "Likewise Jemma."

She looks a bit startled by his use of her first name and he ducks his head in embarrassment until he sees her shoot him an affectionate smile. She gives him another soft look before stepping forward and wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug. Fitz's mouth drops open in surprise but he doesn't hesitate to return the gesture.

He sees Skye, Hunter, Trip, and Bobbi glance in his direction before sharing a round of high-fives. Fitz has a feeling that it's not the successful run-through that they're excited about but can't find it in himself to care all that much when Jemma's close enough for him to smell the lavender aroma of her shampoo.

She steps away from him and he's immediately aware of the loss of contact. There's a blush on her cheeks but her grin is suddenly mischievous. Jemma begins to walk backwards before turning around completely and throwing out, "Though you did stumble over that soliloquy from Act Two," over her shoulder with a melodious laugh.

 _ **6 DAYS UNTIL OPENING NIGHT- AFTERNOON…**_

Fitz looks dubiously at Trip, Hunter, and Mack from where they're seated across from him at the small table backstage. He'd _thought_ that they were going to play a round of poker until Coulson called them all back to go over a few more scenes he felt could use more work, but the moment he'd sat down at the table the other boys had seated themselves on the opposite side.

That was roughly three minutes ago and they'd done nothing but stare at him with sly grins since. Nobody had spoken a single word and Fitz begins to fidget uncomfortably at the combination of the all-consuming silence and the mischievous smirks on his friends' faces. He's tried to hold his ground but each passing second of quietness makes him more and more wary, and he knows that he won't be able to last much longer against the three penetrating stares.

"Oh all right, what is it, huh? _What?! Why_ are you looking at me like that?!"

Fitz leans back in his chair in exasperation and runs his hands through his hair as he shifts his gaze between the three boys sitting in front of him. He regrets his impatient tone almost immediately because it only serves to make his friends' smiles grow in synchrony.

He watches in fascination as Mack turns to look at Hunter, _who_ turns to look at Trip, who _then_ proceeds to lean over Hunter to look at Mack. Then they simultaneously turn to look at _him_ and he feels an uncertainty run through him as they pin him to his chair with their gazes. He leans back as all three of them lean forward and share the same knowing look.

Fitz isn't all that surprised that it's Hunter who breaks the silence, but he _is_ a bit startled by the question.

"How was it mate?"

Fitz blinks in shock at the other boy and turns to look at Mack and Trip, who both nudge Hunter and give him a warning look before turning to face Fitz in curiosity. Fitz blinks again and stutters out a response.

"Wha… What?"

Hunter begins to laugh as he stares at Fitz in astonishment. "What do you mean, _what?_ You just made out with Simmons like, twenty minutes ago man! How was it?!"

 _Incredible._

It's the first word that pops into Fitz's mind and he feels his cheeks flush at the thought. His mind immediately goes blank save for the memory of the kiss that he'd shared with Jemma not long ago. It was as close to perfect as it could have been, Fitz's only qualms concerned its brevity and the fact that it occurred onstage in front of his peers, and he finds himself calling on the memory of it now.

Looking back on it, Fitz knows that it was inevitable. There's no way he could have been able to stop himself and he's glad that he hadn't. The discussion with Jemma over breakfast had caused all of his past feelings to resurface and, when he'd seen her looking up at him on that stage, he knew that they wouldn't leave rehearsal without doing the scene all the way through. It was probably selfish on his part, he likely should have given Jemma some sort of heads up, but it was an in the moment reaction that seemed as natural to him as breathing.

He conjures the memory of the kiss in vivid detail, both because of how recently it occurred and because it was possibly the greatest moment of his life, one that he would likely remember even forty years down the line. He reflects on each of the things he'd been able to process while his mouth had been fused to Jemma's. Her lips had been so damn soft and were laced with the faintest trace of the strawberries she'd been eating at breakfast; her hands had wrapped around his waist as his own had cradled her face gently; and, perhaps most importantly, _she had kissed him back._

Jemma Simmons had kissed him back and Fitz had never been happier.

He knows that he can't exactly admit any of this out loud, especially not in front of the other boys, so instead he tries to deny how completely affected by the kiss he really was.

"Oh… That's… I don't… It… It was scripted… It's not… It's not like I _felt_ anything."

Hunter audibly scoffs at this and even Mack and Trip shoot him a meaningful look at his less than convincing denial. Hunter leans forward in his seat and quirks his eyebrow at him in disbelief. " _Really?_ You didn't feel _anything?_ Because you sure looked happy doing it."

"I… I… _no._ "

"Fitz, c'mon man. You spent the rest of the scene staring at Jemma like she hung the moon and stars." Trip looks at him with a knowing smile and Fitz feels his heart begin to rapidly thump against his chest.

 _Was it that obvious?_

"No… I mean… It was…"

Mack is the one to cut him of this time and he pairs his words with a small smirk that leaves Fitz wanting to sink into the ground in embarrassment. "And I thought that the two of you were going to hold off on the kiss until the actual play…"

Fitz pauses at this because the boy is absolutely right when he says that he and Jemma _had_ intended to wait until the last possible second to share Hero and Claudio's first kiss. His mouth falls open as he tries to come up with an adequate response but finds his mind going completely blank.

"Oh, well, I mean… things change I suppose… It's not like _I_ wanted _…_ "

Trip bursts out laughing at this and Fitz feels his ears growing redder as Hunter chortles out, "Fitz _you_ were the one who kissed _Jemma…_ "

"I… Well _technically_ that's true… but…" Fitz manages to splutter out a few unconvincing words before Trip leans forward and gives him a look that causes his sentence to die off immediately.

Once he's grown silent Hunter takes the opportunity to sigh in exasperation and raise his hands as though he's giving up. "Fitz! Drop the act. _We know you've got the hots for Jemma._ "

Fitz quickly looks between the other boys and notes that they're all giving him the same knowing look. He begins to shake his head emphatically; partly because he doesn't know what to say but mostly because he knows that Mack, Hunter, and Trip likely won't take whatever he _does_ say seriously. He tries anyways and quickly scoffs as he mumbles, "Wha… _No!_ That's… no I don't!"

"Fitz…" Mack raises his eyebrow at him.

"I don't!" He crosses his arms defensively.

"Fiiiiiiitz…" Hunter smirks at him.

"I mean it!" He slumps further down in his seat.

"Fitz." Trip opens his arms with a warm smile and _that's_ what breaks him.

He leans forward, puts his elbows on the table, and buries his face in his hands as he groans. He hears the other boys begin to chuckle at his distress and feels one of them pat him on the back as he shifts to slowly bang his head against the table.

"Oh come on Fitz, don't be so dramatic. It's not like it was a big secret."

Hunter's words cause Fitz to stop hitting his head and instead lift it so that he can face his friends in bewilderment.

"What do you mean _it's not like it was a big secret_?"

Hunter rolls his eyes at this. "Oh my _god_ Fitz? Do you honestly not _know_? Dude, anyone who's ever met you knows that you're crushing on Simmons."

Fitz blinks at this and turns his head to look at Trip and Mack who are nodding sympathetically at him. He groans again and buries his face in his arms as he tries to get his heartbeat to return to a steady rhythm. The metaphorical jig is up and he now has to face the fact that apparently everyone and their mother are aware of his feelings for Jemma.

He timidly peeks up at his friends and hesitantly asks, "Do you think… Do you think _Jemma_ knows?"

They stare at him in silence for a few agonizing moments before all three simultaneously burst out laughing as Hunter chokes out, "Well she does _now_!"

This causes another round of wheezing and Fitz once again lets his head fall to the table with a groan.

-O-

Coulson glances down at his watch and groans at the fact that half of his cast seems to have gone MIA. He'd told them to grab a quick bite to eat after they'd finished the full run-through but warned them to be back in time to go through a few scenes that still needed work before opening night. They'd all nodded seriously at the request but he hasn't seen most of the kids since they'd disbanded.

Jemma is sitting in one of the audience seats with a textbook in one hand and a notebook in the other, Skye is staring at him in concern as he paces up and down the length of the stage, and Ward, the only male cast member in sight, is walking in circles a few feet away.

Coulson motions for Skye to come over to him and in a moment she is standing at his side with a questioning look. "What's up boss?"

He turns to her in exasperation and replies with, "Can you use that magic mic of yours to see if May has any idea where Bobbi and the boys are?"

Skye nods her head quickly at the request and Coulson turns to face Ward as she begins murmuring into her headset.

"And where the hell is Raina? I _told_ her that I wanted her to stick around to go through the scene one more time." Coulson looks to Ward questioningly and his shoulders sag when he sees the boy shrug his shoulders in uncertainty.

"I don't know sir, I haven't seen her since you called break after the full run-through. She must not have understood you and left to go home."

Ward gives the Director a look of sympathy as he holds out his hands in hesitancy. Coulson groans at this and runs his hands through his hair in frustration at the news that half of the onstage pair has gone AWOL.

"Dammit, we _need_ to do that scene, Donnie was having issues with the spotlight and the only way to fix it is to go through it step by step so he can nail his cues opening night."

"Well, I'm still here sir. I can just walk through the scene myself." Ward gives the older man a small smile and shrugs his shoulders somewhat self-deprecatingly as he speaks.

"That's a nice gesture Ward but we really need two people in order to make sure that the lighting is timed correctly."

Coulson smiles at the boy before sighing and rubbing his hands over his face in exhaustion as he tries to figure out the best approach to this little hiccup.

As it turns out, Ward beats him to it because after a few moments of silence he speaks up with an idea that he pitches as though it's the most obvious solution in the world. "All right… Well what about Skye?"

Skye's head snaps up at the words and she stares at Ward in angry confusion. "What about who now?"

Ward's eyes flicker briefly over to the girl before his gaze returns to Coulson and he begins to speak eagerly as he begins to flesh out his idea.

"Yeah! I mean, as stage manager she knows this play backwards and forwards. She knows the lines and the movement cues so she can run through it with me while Donnie gets the lighting sorted out."

Skye's face, which had been cold throughout Ward's speech, blanches as the boy finishes talking. She strokes her chin in feigned contemplation before facing him with a glare and crossing her arms.

" _Here's_ an idea… No."

Ward rolls his eyes at this and mirrors Skye's position, crossing his arms as he stares her down and gives her an imploring look that is just as fake as her contemplating one.

"Oh come on Skye, it'll just take two minutes! And it needs to get done so there won't be any issues opening night."

Skye opens her mouth to give Ward a snarky retort but stops when she sees the look on Coulson's face. He's nodding along to Ward's idea and appears to be seriously considering it. Her mouth drops open in irritation and Coulson immediately stops nodding when he catches her watching him. They become locked in a staring contest for a few moments, Skye defiant and Coulson pleading, before the Director gives a timid smile and breaks the silence.

"It really _would_ be helpful Skye…"

Skye's eyes bug out at this and her arms drop to her side in shock. She stares, mouth agape, between Ward and Coulson, narrowing her eyes at the former before widening them in irritation at the latter.

"Are you serious?! Why don't _you_ do the dumb scene with Ward if it's so important! You know this play better than anyone!"

Coulson sighs at this before patiently answering Skye. "Because I'll be up in the lighting booth telling Donnie what I want done when." Coulson pauses for a moment as Skye huffs in annoyance and he takes a tentative step forward, ducking his head down slightly so that he can make eye contact with the girl. "Please Skye?"

Skye glares at him for a solid minute before stepping closer. "You'd better write me the best letter of recommendation for college that SHIELD has ever seen."

Coulson sighs in relief before giving Skye a warm smile of appreciation. "Already done, I printed it and sent it to your advisor last week."

Skye blinks at this and stares at Coulson in surprise, noting the fact that he's being entirely serious, and gives him a small smile before turning around and brushing past Ward as she calls, "C'mon let's get this over with," over her shoulder.

Coulson grins and claps Ward on the back before making his way up to the balcony to run through the lighting cues with Donnie.

-O-

Trip walks down the hallway with a grin on his face as he pictures how red Fitz had gotten a few minutes ago. A small laugh escapes him and he shakes his head at his friend's complete and utter cluelessness. The poor guy really is oblivious when it comes to feelings of the heart and Trip can't help but chuckle as he thinks that the only person less observant than Fitz is likely Jemma herself.

 _They really are the perfect pair._

He can't wait to tell Skye about the blushing Fitz and eagerly makes his way towards the auditorium. Trip feels oddly buoyant because it seems as though everything is coming up roses in regards to his and his friends' love lives. Bobbi and Hunter's on-again-off-again relationship is most decidedly on; Fitz and Simmons seem to be on the cusp of getting their shit together; and tomorrow night at the cast dinner he'll be able to execute the prom-posal that he has planned for Skye.

And, to top it all off, he seems to be one of the lucky few who won't have to stay later to run through more scenes. Evidently, those that he was in had been deemed satisfactory by Coulson, meaning he gets to head home early to eat some real dinner and catch up on some video games. He grins at the thought and smiles even more as he opens the door to the stage with the intention of briefly filling Skye in on the Fitz situation before wishing her goodnight.

The grin stretches across his face as he walks into the wings and immediately drops at the sight he sees. Ward and Skye are standing in the center of the stage, lips pressed together in a kiss that causes Trip to suddenly feel nauseous. He's hidden in the shadows of stage left and glances around hoping that he'll see someone else witnessing what he is; that someone might pop-up and yell _psych_ at the top of their lungs and clue him in of the fact that _this_ _is not really happening._

The sinking feeling in his gut grows as he processes the fact that, other than Skye and Ward, nobody else seems to be in sight. Coulson isn't at his usual spot in front of the stage, May isn't scribbling notes from her seat in the other wing, and no one else is visible in the auditorium. The lack of people can only mean one thing: Skye and Ward aren't kissing for anyone other than themselves. The second the thought runs through his head the kiss seems to grow even more passionate, with Ward's grip tightening on Skye as her hands move to his chest.

Trip feels sick at the sight and spins around to make a quick exit and leave Skye and Ward kissing behind him. He blinks back tears as his mind processes what he'd just witnessed before he clenches his fists in anger as he hurries out of the auditorium and down the hallway.

-O-

Jemma gives Skye a thumbs up from where she's sitting in the auditorium.

She can see the tension radiating through her friend and would know that the other girl doesn't want to rehearse this scene even if she _didn't_ have a genius-level IQ. Skye shoots her a small smile and Jemma nods encouragingly at her friend as the other girl rolls her shoulders and begins going through the scene with Ward.

Halfway through the scene the lights randomly dim and Jemma chuckles under her breath at Coulson's audible groan from where he's sitting with Donnie up on the balcony. She runs through the play in her head as she watches Skye and Ward on stage and begins to tap her pencil nervously as the two approach the kissing portion of the scene.

The pencil falls out of Jemma's hand just as Skye and Ward begin to lean forward and she mutters a soft, "Dammit," as she bends down to pick it up.

It had rolled under the seat in front of her which means that, by the time she finally manages to grab it and sit back up, Jemma had missed the kiss completely and is instead met with the sight of Skye smacking Ward on the chest and glaring at him with her arms crossed.

 _Uh oh._

-O-

"Okay Donnie, you're doing good. Just keep the spotlight on them until Ward's line _right_ before the kiss." Coulson is watching Skye and Ward down below and is giving Donnie an encouraging smile as the boy moves the light in time with the people on stage.

The smile falters when Donnie _attempts_ to listen to his direction, successfully turning on the spotlight but simultaneously turning off half of the stage lights in the process. Coulson groans as Donnie scrambles to find the correct switch on the light board, and then groans _again_ when the full range of stage lights turn on and he sees a furious Skye smacking Ward.

-O-

Ward opens his eyes briefly after pressing an innocent, closed-mouth kiss against Skye's lips and grins when he sees a shadow move in the stage wings. He closes his eyes and amps up the passion of the kiss, pulling Skye closer to him and moving his lips more fully against her, and internally cheers when he hears whoever was in the wings turn around and gently close the door behind them.

The cheer doesn't last long because Skye's hands immediately move up to his chest and shove him away with a strength he didn't know she had in her. She looks up at him in disgust as she uses the back of her hand to wipe her mouth and visibly blanches. She takes a step forward and slams her palm against his chest before stepping back and crossing her arms in fury. "What the _hell_ Ward?"

Ward just shrugs in response and says, "Sorry, just got carried away I guess."

Skye glares at him in outrage before stepping forward again and whispering lowly under her breath. "You _knew_ Raina had bailed and didn't tell anyone and you knew I wouldn't say no if Coulson asked me to run lines with you. I think you planned this whole stupid thing just to get me to kiss you."

Ward shoots Skye a smug grin and shrugs, "What can I say?"

She storms down the steps leading off the stage and Ward watches as she yells up to the balcony, "Hope Donnie figured it all out because there's no way in hell I'm doing that again Coulson."

He can see the Director nodding down at Skye before moving his gaze to him. "You're done for the night Ward. See you at the cast dinner tomorrow. Skye, hang around with Jemma and wait for Bobbi and the others to do the next scene."

Ward nods his head at Coulson and grins as Skye stomps towards Simmons. He turns around and walks offstage while thinking about Skye's words. _I think you planned this whole stupid thing just to get me to kiss you._

 _Yes. He most certainly had._

Ward grins smugly as he reaches for his phone and texts Raina.

-O-

Hunter is strolling down the hallway, whistling as he walks, when he turns a corner sharply and is practically tackled by Trip. He nearly goes flying but Trip quickly grabs his arm before he can fall down while exclaiming, "Shit, sorry man. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going."

Hunter waves his hand dismissively at his friend as he straightens up and brushes himself off. He looks up at Trip and notes the distant and almost perturbed expression on the other boy's face. Hunter hasn't known Trip to look anything other than happy so he tentatively asks, "You okay man?"

Trip blinks quickly down at him before shaking his head as though attempting to orient himself. "Huh? Oh… yeah man, don't sweat it. You headed home?"

Hunter doesn't buy Trip's answer but knows the other boy will talk when he wants to talk so he lets it go and instead focuses on the question he'd been asked. He grins and wiggles his eyebrows up at Trip as he answers. "Nah… Coulson wants me to stick around for a while longer. I'm going to go find Bobbi so we can have a little _alone time_ before we run through the next scene."

Trip lets out a small smile at this but it doesn't reach his eyes and Hunter once again feels as though something's wrong with his friend. "You sure you're okay Trip?"

The other boy's smile doesn't widen, but it does turn _marginally_ more genuine as he nods his head and claps Hunter on the back. "Yeah man, I'm good. Listen, I've gotta run but I'll see you tomorrow."

And with that Trip shoves his hands in the pockets of his jeans and continues to move down the hallway. Hunter contemplates going after him but then he feels his phone buzz in his pocket and grins as he reads Bobbi's text.

 _Meet me in the prop room._

 _ **6 DAYS UNTIL OPENING NIGHT- EVENING…**_

Bobbi groans loudly and swats Hunter on the head when he takes the noise as a sign that she's actually _enjoying_ being pressed against the wall and having various discarded props push into her back. She breaks away from him with a gasp and pushes forward so that, instead of having a creepy manikin hand grope her more than her actual boyfriend, _Hunter_ is the one pressed against the wall.

Bobbi grins against his mouth because she _knows_ that Hunter's groan is one of pleasure instead of discomfort. Their tongues duel for a few moments before she hears a noise that isn't coming from her or her boyfriend.

"Wait, what was that?" Hunter's heavy breathing in her ear is making it difficult to listen to anything else but Bobbi blinks in surprise as she hears the noise from before again. Bobbi breaks away and strains her neck as she tilts her ear towards the door and focuses intently on making out a noise from the other side.

Hunter is still focused on the _making out_ aspect and he mumbles, "I didn't hear anything…" against her neck as he moves to work his lips back to her mouth. His attempt to resume kissing his girlfriend is thwarted almost immediately by Bobbi herself as she puts her hand on his face and pushes it away. His shoots her an affronted look in response and moves his hands to squeeze at her waist and moving to press his lips to her neck when she moves her hand away.

He's stopped again as Bobbi swats his hand away and shoots him a stern look before pressing her ear against the door and hissing under her breath. "Will you quit it and _be quiet?_ Someone's out there." Hunter rolls his eyes at his girlfriend but her furrowed brows intrigue him so he follows suit and presses his own face against the crack in the door.

It's silent for a few seconds and he's just about to open his mouth to tell Bobbi that she may be losing her mind when his ears pick up on whatever noise she'd heard earlier. He blinks in surprise and furrows his own eyebrows and closes his eyes in an attempt better hear whatever is on the other side of the door.

It takes a few moments for Hunter to realize that the _noise_ is actually _multiple_ noises; specifically footsteps and two different voices.

He opens his eyes in surprise and shoots Bobbi a questioning look. She raises her eyebrows and shrugs before slowly raising her finger to her lips. Hunter nods in agreement and pushes himself further against the door as Bobbi does the same.

The footsteps move closer and Hunter is able to quickly realize that the voices are distinctly masculine and feminine. It takes another few seconds for Hunter to make out _who_ exactly the voices belong to and his forehead wrinkles in confusion. Bobbi looks just as perplexed and mouths, " _Raina,"_ to him as he mouths, " _Ward,"_ to her. They simultaneously nod at each other and Bobbi motions with her eyes at the door, prompting Hunter to move his ear closer to the small crack in the doorframe.

Ward's voice permeates through the hallway, "Nice last minute ditch."

Raina chuckles wryly and for some reason the sound causes the hair to stand up on the back of Hunter's neck. Her low voice follows the laughter and Hunter can just barely make out the words. "Why thank you. Did my absence… lead to our expected result?"

Ward laughs at this and responds in the affirmative. "It _more_ than worked. He saw the whole thing and the plan went off without a hitch." Bobbi's mouth drops open in confusion at this as she turns to stare at Hunter with wide eyes. He's just as stunned and looks at her in shock, straightening slightly when he hears Ward and Raina's footsteps begin to soften as they move further down the hallway.

Hunter hears Raina hum thoughtfully and release a pleased snicker. "Good… Garrett will be pleased to hear it."

Their voices and footsteps disappear as they, presumably, turn the corner and head towards whatever evil place they're headed towards.

Hunter pushes himself away from the door and stares as Bobbi keeps her ear pressed against the wall for a few more moments. She finally straightens and takes a few steps away from the door until she's standing next to him and they're both looking at the door with wide eyes.

They slowly turn their heads concurrently and stare at each other in shock until Hunter breaks the silence. "What the bloody hell was _that?_ "

 _ **Same Evening…**_

Bobbi is still ruminating over what she and Hunter had overheard while _occupied_ in the prop closet. They'd both agreed that Ward and Raina had been acting _way_ too suspicious to feel comfortable about, and had parted ways agreeing to approach Director Coulson with the information after they wrap for the day.

She has a bad feeling about what Ward and Raina had said, _especially_ as she remembers that they'd mentioned Garrett. Most of the cast had unanimously agreed that the older man is both creepy and shady, so the thought of Ward and Raina doing something that _he_ would approve of leaves a cold feeling in Bobbi's stomach.

Said feeling dissipates almost immediately when Bobbi walks into the auditorium and spots Skye laying on her stomach and grinning maniacally at a clearly blushing Jemma. Skye says something that makes the other girl cover her face in mortification and Bobbi smiles as she realizes that, at this point, only one thing-more specifically one _person-_ could cause Jemma Simmons to blush so hard.

Bobbi catches Skye's eye and the other girl's smile widens as she picks her chin off her hands and waves her over. The movement causes Jemma to look over her shoulder and groan when she spots Bobbi heading in their direction.

Bobbi smirks mischievously and walks towards the other girls with purpose as Skye nods her head and winks while Jemma slumps lower on the stage floor.

 _This is going to be fun._

-O-

It doesn't take long for Jemma to realize that Skye had an ulterior motive for spending the past five minutes complaining about Ward. Jemma knows that the other girl truly is genuinely upset about the other boy's actions. That part hadn't been a lie, but Jemma _now_ realizes that Skye's complaints were also utilized as a means of lulling her into a false sense of security. Because she's so focused on lending a supportive ear to her friend, and agreeing that Ward _is_ a dick, that Jemma is caught completely off guard when Skye abruptly changes the topic of discussion.

"So… I realize it was _technically_ scripted, but _I_ was under the impression that it had been decided that Claudio and Hero wouldn't be sharing their first onstage kiss until opening night…"

Skye raises her eyebrow with a knowing grin and Jemma groans at the sight.

She moves to cover her face with her hands in the hopes that it'll hide the growing blush from her friend. It doesn't. In fact it seems to draw even _more_ attention to her because Skye just starts snickering and Jemma peeks through her fingers as she mumbles, "Shut. Up," to the other girl.

 _This_ of course just makes Skye laugh even more and Jemma lowers her hands so that Skye cansee the glare she is sending her way.

She's slightly disappointed to see that Skye isn't paying any attention to her and Jemma's eyes narrow as she watches the other girl shift and wave at something over her shoulder. Jemma turns around and groans when she spots Bobbi walking over with the same teasing grin that Skye has been wearing for the past five minutes and slouches across the stage as she prepares for the mirthless taunting that she's certain she'll be forced to endure in a few moments.

"Ladies." Bobbi lies down next to Skye and mirrors the other girl's position so that they're both facing Jemma with matching smiles.

"Barbara! So happy you could join us. I was _just_ asking Jemma about the impromptu kiss that she shared with Fitz earlier…" Skye bumps her shoulder with Bobbi and both simultaneously turn to Jemma with raised eyebrows.

"It was _scripted._ "

Jemma's voice comes out roughly three octaves higher than usual and she winces slightly at the clear defensiveness in her tone. Evidently neither Bobbi nor Skye believes her pathetic excuse because they share a knowing look before Skye turns back to scoff in her face.

"Oh _please_ Jem. It may have been _scripted_ but the _first_ time you guys rehearsed that scene, you got into a ten minute fight about how neither of you wanted to do it at all." Skye raises an eyebrow and Jemma feels her cheeks grow red as Bobbi jumps in and finishes Skye's sentence.

"And _that_ aforementioned fight ended with you and Fitz both agreeing, for the first time _ever_ I might add _,_ that you guys wouldn't kiss until you absolutely _had_ to. AKA on _opening night."_

Jemma groans again and buries her head in her arms to avoid having to look at Bobbi and Skye's smug faces. They were right, both of them, but that doesn't mean she has to _admit_ as much.

She doesn't have to tell them that she'd been just as surprised as they clearly were when Fitz launched himself at her and pressed his mouth to hers with such fervor that her lips are still tingling now an hour later. And she _definitely_ doesn't have to admit that her surprise in the moment had quickly shifted to elation; that it had taken approximately 0.2 seconds for her to return the kiss with just as much enthusiasm as Fitz had initiated it with.

It had lasted far too short for Jemma's liking and she can't help thinking that she'd very much like the next one to last a bit longer.

 _Hold on, the next one?!_

Jemma shakes her head and groans again as her mind begins to betray her. She tries to avoid her friends' knowing looks as much as she tries to avoid the thoughts of Fitz… and his lips… and they way his hands had tenderly gripped her face as he pressed his mouth against hers.

As it turns out, Jemma fails at both because she looks up, eyes flitting between Skye and Bobbi's matching grins, and immediately replays the kiss in her head as she does. Jemma can feel her cheeks reddening at the thought of Fitz's soft lips pressed against hers, still sweet from the syrup he'd eaten at breakfast, and she _knows_ that her flushed face is no longer being caused by embarrassment.

Bobbi and Skye seem to know it as well because the former scoots closer and grabs Jemma's hand in excitement as the latter squeals in delight. Skye pushes herself into a sitting position and scoots closer to Jemma with a gleeful expression.

"You _do_ like him! Oh my god, you like him _so hard!"_

"Skye…" Jemma gives her friend a pleading look that does nothing to dissuade the other girl from continuing her excited assessment.

Skye quickly nudges Bobbi and points her finger towards Jemma with an elated expression. "Look at her Bobbi, she's like a lovesick puppy!"

Jemma knows that the only way to avoid more teasing is to turn this around on Skye so she straightens up and looks incredulously at the other girl. " _I'm_ like a lovesick puppy? Just _saying_ the word Trip makes you smile like a loon!"

She's a bit disheartened when Skye just shrugs her shoulders with a grin and nods in affirmation at Jemma's words. "True, true. So… let's use your own claim against you."

Jemma's eyes widen at Skye's words and she looks dubiously at her as a suspicious feeling works its way through her body. "Wha…"

Skye leans closer until her face is a few scant inches away from Jemma's and smiles teasingly before slowly saying, " _Fitz._ "

The reaction is instantaneous and Jemma feels her cheeks grow warm before Skye has even finished saying his name. She can feel the blood begin to thrum beneath her skin as her heartbeat quickens and her pulse seems to double. She knows immediately that the jig is up and sighs in frustration at the fact that her friend has just successfully proven her point.

Because Skye saying Fitz just made Jemma _think_ about Fitz, which caused her to think about _kissing_ Fitz, which now leaves her here: blushing as she thinks about kissing Fitz while Skye grins at her in triumph.

Jemma looks between the other girls and lets out a pitiful moan as she once again covers her face with her hands. "Oh god. You're right I _do_ like Fitz. I like _Fitz_ …" She can tell that a panicked expression is making its way across her face and feels the blood drain, leaving her pale and completely flustered.

Jemma moans again in defeat when she hears Skye mumble, "Honey, you more than _like_ him," while Bobbi nudges the other girl and gives her a warning look.

Both girls shoot Jemma a look of sympathy as they realize how completely freaked out she has become over this new revelation. Not _new_ per say. She'd be lying if she said the thought of Fitz and her as a pair was one she hadn't considered before, especially considering the fact that they _had_ gone on a date so many years before. It's really more of a rekindled revelation but that doesn't make her any less terrified.

She thinks she might be on the verge of having an actual panic attack and watches as Skye and Bobbi's eyes widen at her gasping breaths. _She doesn't know what to do._ She _hates_ this feeling because it's not one that she's used to having and it leaves her feeling as though whatever choice she makes will likely be the wrong one. Skye and Bobbi quickly shift over on the stage, sandwiching Jemma between them, and each place their head on one of her shoulders in comfort.

Jemma covers her hands with her face again before pitifully asking, "What do I _do?_ "

She can feel both girls glance at each other over her head and when she leans back to look at them, noting their large smiles, she immediately feels a sense of relief run through her. Because those grins are her friends' _scheming_ grins, which means that they have a plan and all Jemma will have to do is follow it.

-O-

Bobbi and Skye are grinning as they watch Jemma blush beside them.

Coulson had officially relieved the cast and crew for the night and Fitz had awkwardly hung around the girls, opening and shutting his mouth for a solid minute before blushing and waving at Jemma with a soft, "Goodnight." Jemma's response of, "See you tomorrow," had been just as quiet and Bobbi and Skye had exchanged a fist bump behind their friend's back.

This had been five minutes ago and Jemma still hasn't moved from her position on the stage. Her eyes are still focused on the door that Fitz had exited from and there's a small smile on her face. After another moment Skye nudges Jemma and startles the other girl out of her reverie.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" Jemma blinks at Skye in confusion as she tries to rid herself of the daze she'd fallen into.

Bobbi wraps her arm around Jemma's shoulders as Skye laughs and replies, "I didn't say anything Simmons. Just wanted to get you to snap out of it so we can actually _go home_."

Jemma flushes in embarrassment at this and ducks her head as Bobbi ruffles her hair. Skye grins and loops her arm through Jemma's and the trio begins to make their way out of the auditorium. After a moment Bobbi feels her phone buzz in her pocket and she extracts herself from her friends to pull it out. Her brows furrow for a moment as she pauses to read Hunter's text before widening as she remembers what they'd agreed to do after rehearsal.

Bobbi is so focused on the text and the memory of what she and Hunter had overheard that she doesn't realize that she's fallen behind until she hears Skye's voice ring out in the hallway.

"Hey, you coming?"

She and Jemma are looking at her expectantly and Bobbi glances down at her phone and begins to slowly shake her head. "Nah, you go on without me. I'm gonna hang back for a minute, I need to talk to Coulson about something."

Bobbi smiles at the other girls and Skye gives her a quizzical look. The other girl raises an eyebrow and takes a step forward as Jemma does as well. "Everything alright?"

 _I hope so._

Bobbi plasters a smile on her face and looks between her two friends with a reassuring expression. "Yeah, everything's fine! Hunter and I just had a question about the masquerade scene that we wanted to ask Coulson together. Then Hunt's going to drive me home."

Jemma nods at this but Skye still looks a bit dubious so Bobbi quickly makes her smile more genuine. "Seriously, guys go home. Let Jemma blush about Fitz in peace…" This immediately causes Jemma to duck down with red cheeks and Bobbi grins before continuing, "… and _you_ text loverboy Trip about the success of OFS."

Skye grins at this as Jemma looks at them in confusion. "What's OFS?"

Bobbi smiles and Skye lets out a small laugh as she loops her arm around Jemma and begins to walk back down the hall, "Nothing for you to worry about Simmons. See you tomorrow Bobbi!"

The taller girl watches fondly as Jemma and Skye bicker while they walk down the hall and her smile stays in place until they round the corner out of sight. She glances back down at her phone and quickly turns around to seek out Hunter and Coulson.

 _ **SAME EVENING…**_

Bobbi spots Hunter leaning against the stage door and he straightens immediately when he notices her walking towards him. She moves closer and shoots him an inquisitive look as she tries to peer around him. "Is he still in there?"

Hunter nods his head in response before speaking, "Yeah, May too."

Bobbi breathes deeply at this before exhaling slowly and rubbing her temples. She looks back up at Hunter with worry and shuffles closer to him as a feeling of anxiousness seems to make its way through her.

"We _should_ tell them right? I mean… it was too suspicious not to at least _mention_ something to Coulson."

Hunter moves forward and wraps her in a brief hug before stepping back and taking her hand. "We _definitely_ need to tell him."

He moves to open the door and nods his head for Bobbi to follow him. They make their way into the auditorium where they see Coulson and May hunched over a table and running through their notes from the day. The two adults don't notice them until Hunter tentatively coughs to get their attention. May and Coulson's heads snap up in unison as they take in the sight of Hunter and Bobbi cautiously standing in front of him.

Coulson takes one look at them before groaning and sitting down in the chair beside the table. "Please tell me you're not here to inform me that you're quitting the play."

Bobbi and Hunter look to each other in surprise before returning their gaze to the Director and quickly shouting, "What? No!"

Coulson sighs in relief at this and even May seems to become marginally less tense at the denial. The adults share a puzzled look and Coulson looks between Bobbi and Hunter with a speculative expression.

"Then what is it exactly that you need? I figured you two would be the first to leave after being dismissed."

Bobbi blushes slightly at this, noting both Coulson and May's knowing smiles, but Hunter just chuckles and waves his hand in the Director's direction. "Yeah, yeah, normally we would be but…"

Hunter pauses at this and shoots Bobbi a look. She nods at him encouragement and steps closer to Coulson and May. Both adults are looking quizzically at the two of them and it only takes about three seconds of silence for May to raise an eyebrow and prompt Hunter. "But what?"

"Well, Bob and I were in the prop closet earlier…"

Coulson raises an eyebrow at this and shoots them a stern look so Bobbi hastily tries to make Hunter's statement seem less obvious. "We were running through our lines during the break earlier and we overheard something that… neither of us thought seemed quite… right I guess?"

She turns to look at Hunter who is nodding his head emphatically. Bobbi is encouraged by the movement and continues speaking. "We heard Ward and Raina talking in the hall…"

Coulson's head raises at this and he shoots May a look before returning his gaze to Bobbi. "Raina?"

Bobbi and Hunter both nod at the question and the boy takes over. "Yeah! Both of them were walking in the hallway outside the prop room and saying weird stuff that we thought you should hear about."

Coulson motions for them to resume speaking and Bobbi immediately opens her mouth to tell him about what they'd hear. "Ward said something along the lines of, "Way to ditch," and then Raina asked if her not being there caused the expected result…"

Hunter quickly moves to finish her sentence. "And then Ward told her that it _had,_ that 'he' saw everything and the plan was working, and then Raina said Garrett would be happy to hear it."

It's silent for a few moments before Coulson raises his eyebrow and leans back in his chair. "Is that it?"

Hunter and Bobbi turn to each other in surprise and blink quickly before turning back to Coulson and May. Hunter opens his mouth a few times and, when she realizes that he's not going to spit it out, Bobbi speaks up. "Umm… Yes, sir."

Coulson nods his head in contemplation before leaning forward and picking up his pen as he begins to scribble on his notepad. "Alright. Thanks for letting us know."

Bobbi and Hunter share another look as both try to process Coulson's complete lack of reaction. May seems to be a bit more affected by their reveal, arching her eyebrow and staring at them contemplatively, but Coulson just continues jotting down notes and being generally impassive. Bobbi blinks at the Director and feels a slight pang of annoyance at his dismissal of the information.

"That's it? You're… You're not going to do anything about it?"

Coulson places his pen on the table before lacing his fingers together and removing his glasses. He rubs his hand over his face in exhaustion before standing up and glancing between Hunter and Bobbi. "No I'm not going to do anything because there's nothing _to_ do. You overheard a very vague, and very private conversation between two people that could mean a number of things."

Bobbi opens her mouth to argue but Coulson cuts her off with a stern look.

"I appreciate the fact that the two of you came to me with this, but the fact of the matter is, none of what you just told me is anything that I find to be overly alarming. Raina skipped rehearsal, _that_ I will question her about, but Ward commending her for it isn't anything particularly damning…"

Bobbi's eyes open in irritation and she moves to convince him. "But what about Garrett? And the plan…"

Coulson cuts Bobbi off again with a shake of the head. "Enough Barbara. Right now, what little information you've given me isn't incriminating or problematic. Did it sound a bit suspicious? Sure, but no more suspicious than most things Ward and Raina say. So again, thank you for sharing with me, but I now have a few more scenes to work through and _you two_ need to go home and get some rest."

He motions towards the door and Bobbi grits her teeth at the dismissal. She moves her eyes to plead with May who slowly shakes her head in warning. Bobbi huffs at this and grabs Hunter's hand, tugging him towards the exit with one backward glance at the adults. She almost stops when she sees May turn to Coulson with her hands on her hips, but Hunter pulls her along and Bobbi follows. They'd done what they could and now, it seems as though it's up to May to get Coulson to see reason.

 **Much Ado About SHIELD: Act IV**

 _ **5 DAYS UNTIL OPENING NIGHT…**_

It's early Sunday evening and Trip is still trying to process everything he'd seen the night before. He's drowning his storm of thoughts in his latest video game when he gets a text from Raina asking for a ride to the dinner later tonight.

 _Dinner?_

The message confuses Trip long enough for his avatar to be decimated by a hand-grenade on screen and he throws the controller away as he leans back against the couch and remembers exactly what dinner Raina is referring to.

 _The_ dinner _._

The dinner that he's meant to be hosting, as much as an eighteen year old _can_ host… meaning that _he'd_ been the one to make the reservation. The reservation at _Triskellion_ , the nicest restaurant in town that a high school student could actually afford, which _also_ happens to be one of Skye's favorite places.

The place where they had gone on their first unofficial date.

The place at which he had planned on prom-posing to Skye, _tonight,_ in the most epic of fashions.

He'd organized the whole thing _ages_ ago with the help of Bobbi and Jemma and had done everything he could think of to make the night special. Everyone would be there, after all it was _technically_ the cast dinner, and Trip had already worked out the entire thing. They'd all have dinner and then dessert would be when he'd ask Skye to prom in the most epic of fashions.

He'd pre-ordered Skye's favorite molten lava cake and had already arranged for the pastry chef to spell out _PROM?_ in her favorite blue M&M's.

It would have been truly awesome, because he _knows_ that Skye would excitedly say yes, but right now Trip doesn't even want to think about the dinner, let alone _attend_ it. He'd much prefer staying in his pajamas and playing more Call of Duty to taxiing all of his cast mates to and from their respective locations.

Trip groans as another message from Raina comes through, a big-eyed emoji and question mark, and he quickly sends off a reply saying that he can pick her up in half an hour.

Trip sighs again in disappointment as he tosses his phone onto the couch and pushes himself up so that he can turn off the console and get ready for the cast dinner. He wasn't going to miss this just because he'd seen a girl, the girl he _thought_ was _his_ girl, kissing a douchebag like Ward. Trip had promised everyone a fun night and he isn't the kind of guy who'd ditch his friends, so he plasters on a large grin that is far less genuine than normal and heads towards his room to get dressed.

He pauses for a brief moment to call the restaurant and tell them to cancel a specific dessert order, deciding that he'll just have to figure out the Skye situation another time.

-O-

Skye is furious.

She's still stewing over last night's rehearsal and clenches her fists as she realizes that she'll have to see Grant later tonight. She grits her teeth at the memory of the _last_ time she'd seen him and feels the anger surge within her.

Not only had Grant practically thrown himself at her, setting up that scene so she'd be forced to kiss him, but he'd gotten _Coulson_ of all peopleto go along with it.

For the most part, Grant is merely an annoying figure that Skye sometimes finds herself having to deal with. But over the course of the past few weeks the boy has become increasingly involved in her life and Skye absolutely _hates_ it. It reminds her of a time when _Ward_ and _annoying_ were two words that she never would have used together. Skye's irritation falters slightly at the memory of the fact that Ward isn't _all_ bad, but then she remembers how he'd used her and left her and the anger comes back stronger than ever.

Skye shakes her head at the fact that she's still so upset about Ward because, honestly, it doesn't even matter anymore. She'd moved on long ago, found a great group friends, and has been crushing on _one_ handsome friend in particular. She and Trip, though not _technically_ official, share a special connection that her relationship with Grant hadn't even come _close_ to having. It's something she'd offhandedly mentioned on more than one occasion and Trip had only proceeded to tease her about how someone as enigmatic as her has to suffer through being lab partners with someone as stoic as Ward.

Trip was completely fine with the fact that she and Ward had… dated? The word is a bit of an overstatement for what she'd done with Grant and Skye thinks back to Jemma's description of _hanging out._

Yes. Hanging out. _That_ was a better description for whatever she and Ward had been doing sophomore year. Regardless, Trip didn't seem to care in the least. He'd just affectionately teased her about it when she'd told him and then he'd moved on an asked her to help him with the computer homework. Skye grins at the memory, as well as the fluttering in her chest that always seems to be present when she thinks about Trip. The fluttering disappears as she _again_ thinks back to last night and shudders at the memory of Ward's lips. She doubts Trip would tease her about _that._ He'd likely be just as pissed at Ward as she had been. Maybe be his typical knight in shining armor self and threaten to beat Grant up if he ever pulled a stunt like that again.

Skye grins at the mental image and then grins wider when she catches sight of herself in the mirror. She'd put on her favorite white dress for the occasion, side cutouts doing little to hide her best features, and had spent more time than usual carefully applying her makeup and doing her hair. She's not going to let Ward bring her down tonight, instead she's going to focus on having a great time with her _almost-but-not-technically_ boyfriend at the place where they'd had their _almost-but-not-technically_ first date.

When Trip's van pulls up in front of her house, Skye grins and dashes outside. She moves instinctually to the passenger seat when she stops suddenly as she sees that someone is already sitting in her standard place.

 _Raina._

Skye's eyes narrow at the sight and narrow further when the other girl smirks at her through the window.

 _Oh hell no._ _Raina was_ _ **not**_ _sniping her seat. Not after ditching yesterday and forcing Skye to take her place._

Skye takes a deep breath and tries to calm herself.

 _It's just a seat, it's not a big deal. Talk to her about her ditching tomorrow._

With that thought, Skye gives the other a fake smile before moving to the back door and hopping into the back seat with a cheery, "Hello."

She barely manages to click her seat belt before the car is pulling away as she receives a faint, "Hello," from Raina.

Skye furrows her eyebrows, not because of the other girl's greeting, but because Trip hadn't given her one at all.

He's completely silent.

-O-

Bobbi has a terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach.

She's admiring the flickering lights outside of the window, truly a gorgeous sight, but it's not enough to quench the feeling that something is about to go very wrong. She can't quite place the root of her discomfort, but she has a sneaking suspicion that whatever is going to happen will be related in some way-shape-or-form to the conversation that she and Lance had heard through the prop closet door last night.

The same conversation that Coulson had dismissed without any thought when she and Hunter had confronted him about it. The Director's comment, " _Please tell me you're not here to tell me you're quitting the play,"_ is echoing repeatedly in her mind and making her grow increasingly uneasy in the passenger seat.

The man's question makes something click in Bobbi's mind as she realizes how detrimental someone quitting would _actually_ be. There weren't many people involved in the play to begin with, the SHIELD Drama League isn't all that appealing to most of the student body despite how good it looks on college applications, and there weren't any understudies who could save the day if any of the cast dropped out. Someone quitting would cause complete chaos, likely ruining the play and any hopes of good reviews.

The realization causes Bobbi's suspicions to grow and she can feel herself closing in on whatever is causing the sinking feeling in her gut. Everything has to tie together somehow and Bobbi strives to figure out the missing pieces of the puzzle. It seems to be on the tip of her tongue and she sighs in disappointment when the car pulls up to _Triskellion,_ all thoughts leaving her mind and making Bobbi more wary than before.

 _It's going to be a long night._

-O-

Jemma is feeling more than a little giddy.

She's actually excited for the dinner tonight, which is odd considering the fact that at no point in her life has she _ever_ been excited about a party. She spends the twenty minutes it takes her to shower trying to convince herself that the cause of her excitement isn't a certain scientist with a knack for machinery. As it turns out, she's not at all convincing because the initial thought of Fitz makes her stomach do somersaults and when she catches the grin that is reflecting back at her in the mirror, she ducks her head and shakes it in an attempt to get the image of said scientist out of her brain.

Jemma sighs deeply and straightens her shoulders as she decides to make a point of _not_ thinking about Fitz, and instead focuses on what exactly she's going to wear to the party tonight.

After searching though her entire closet for an appropriate outfit, Jemma settles on jean shorts and a blouse that she doesn't remember ever buying.

The shorts are just _slightly_ shorter than the school-approved fingertip length, 3 inches is a small measurement in the grand scheme of things, and the blouse is _definitely_ not something she'd ever wear in the lab. The loose fabric underneath the empire take-in is likely a very high fire risk and Jemma isn't all that surprised when she notices that the price tag is still attached to blouse's label.

She's almost positive that Skye had convinced her to buy it, or perhaps had bought it _for_ her, but Jemma doesn't mind because, when she puts the ensemble on and gazes at her reflection in the mirror, she can't help but admit that she looks good.

Which doesn't matter of course, because it's not as though she's trying to look good for anyone in particular.

 _Right._

Jemma shakes her head again and quickly moves to touch up her makeup and pop on her oxytocin necklace and matching serotonin earrings. Once the accessories are in place, she turns back to the mirror and lets a small smile cross her face at her appearance. She gives her reflection a short nod of approval and is happy that she's all set for the evening with time to spare. The extra minutes means that she is able to settle back into the chair by her window and open the book that she's nearly finished with.

She's just gotten to the climax when the lights from Trip's van cast shadows across the walls of her room. Jemma tosses the book aside as she eagerly heads out to meet her friends.

The characters in her silly story can wait. She has a dinner to get to.

-O-

Fitz can't stop his hands from trembling.

He fumbles with the buttons on his dress shirt for a few minutes before giving up and switching it out for a black t-shirt and pants. For some inexplicable reason, Fitz had noted that the lighter his clothing, the more obvious his blushing was. And, thinking about the last time he'd seen Jemma Simmons, he has a sinking feeling that tonight will be _full_ of blushing.

 _Dark colors are definitely the way to go._

Despite this, Fitz can't help but snag a light-colored jumper to bring along and shrug over the snug black tee whenever he needs the safety net. Though suitable for a restaurant, the shirt doesn't exactly fall within his comfort zone in regards to clothing considering the fact it's actually formfitting and unlike the looser shirts he tends to wear at school. He glances nervously in the mirror and sighs slightly at the sight he's met with. The formfitting shirt has only served to accentuate the fact that _his_ form isn't exactly up to par with those of Trip, Grant, and Mack.

Instead of dwelling on this, Fitz decides to follow his gut, wear the shirt, and not worry about how he may look in comparison to his more muscular peers. He exits his room and heads for the kitchen, putting some water on to boil as he sits down at the counter to wait for Trip.

Fitz begins to nervously tap his hands against the counter as he watches the water begin to boil. His heart is pounding and he's having trouble forming coherent thoughts in his head. This doesn't bode well considering his inability to _think_ will just make it that much more difficult to actually _speak._ He worries briefly that he might be suffering from some sort of mental breakdown and then quickly shakes his head. There's nothing wrong with his brain, he's just nervous.

As in _really_ nervous. As in, he can't remember the last time he was this nervous.

 _That's a lie._

Fitz knows _exactly_ when he'd last been this anxious. Freshman year. He'd spent an hour in his room mentally preparing himself, firstly, for a date with a girl he'd been crushing on, and secondly, for the various _substances_ he'd have to endure at the museum's Body exhibit before hopefully guiding her through the aeronautics wing.

Clearly the mental preparation _then_ hadn't worked all that well, so this time Fitz is hoping that a warm cup of tea with an obscene amount of sugar will do the trick and help settle the butterflies in his stomach.

By the time that Fitz is heading out of the door towards Trip's car, his nerves have faded and he's again functioning well enough to form actual sentences. He's now quite looking forward to the night ahead and is grinning with a new confidence when he opens the door.

The smile quickly transforms into a gape when he sees Jemma and Fitz internally groans as he feels his mind go blank and his brain's functionality quickly decrease.

-O-

Jemma has to keep her mouth from dropping open as she watches Fitz make his way from his front door to the car. It takes an absurd amount of effort, but she just _barely_ manages to keep her jaw locked in place and her lips tightly shut. Unfortunately no amount of effort can stop the blush from spreading across her face as she peers through the car window and notes the form-fitting black t-shirt that leaves very little to Jemma's generally overactive imagination.

She can hear Skye snickering in her ear but Jemma doesn't have time to turn around and swat at her friend because the car door is suddenly sliding open and her eyes lock on Fitz's blue ones.

Her blush deepens as his eyes widen and his gaze flits over her for a few long seconds. Fitz makes no move to get into the car, hand still enclosed around the outer door handle and eyes moving rapidly, seemingly taking in every inch of her. Jemma's on the cusp of feeling self-conscious, a sinking feeling overwhelming her as she grows uncertain about her dress choice, but then Fitz begins to blink rapidly and his gaze locks on hers.

Suddenly Jemma knows that she has _nothing_ to feel uncertain about because Fitz, likely unbeknownst to himself, is now nodding his head at her and she notes that he'd done a far worse job keeping his jaw open than she had. She can't help but smile at the victory and her smile grows as she watches Fitz swallow. She bites her lip at the visual and has to hold back a mischievous grin when Fitz's eyes zero in on her mouth as _his_ mouth once again drops open.

He opens his mouth a few times as if attempting to speak but no sound comes out other than a strangled garble that Jemma is almost positive she's imagined. After another few seconds of awkward staring Fitz quickly moves his eyes to his shoes as he shoves his hands in his pockets and quietly mumbles, "You look lovely Simmons."

The warmth that seems to radiate through her at his words could rival that of the sun and Jemma feels a wave of giddiness at the compliment. She ducks her head in an attempt to hide her blush from Fitz and then yelps in surprise as she feels a sharp poke to her side.

Jemma whirls around in her seat to glare at Skye in the back, who's giving her a knowing look and a smirk that spells trouble.

"Aren't you going to move over so Fitz can get in the car Simmons?"

Jemma blinks in surprise at her question because it is _far_ more tame and _way_ less teasing than what she'd been expecting to hear from Skye. She blinks for a moment as she processes her friend's words and then widens her eyes slightly as she realizes that she's essentially been blocking Fitz from the car throughout their entire, mostly non-verbal, exchange. She begins to nod rapidly and says, "Yes of course, I'm so sorry," as she reaches for her seatbelt and makes to move over.

Her fingers are just about to release the seatbelt when she feels something warm on her thigh that causes her to whip around in shock. Jemma glances down at where Fitz's hand is resting on the exposed skin beneath her denim shorts and she has to fight the instinctual shiver that his touch seems to cause. She stares at his fingers for a few moments before blinking up at Fitz who all but wrenches his hand away once he's realized where exactly he'd put it. Jemma swallows down the slight disappointment she feels at the loss of contact and focuses on the words that a now crimson Fitz is saying.

 _Focus on his words, not his lips. Focus on his words, not his lips. Focus on his words, not his lips._

It takes everything Jemma has but she is able to concentrate long enough to process Fitz's, "Sorry… I didn't mean to… I just meant to say, it's all right, don't move. I'll just… It's fine I'll just climb over."

Jemma barely has time to nod before Fitz is reaching for the handle bar above her head and hoisting himself up. She attempts to shift her legs slightly in an attempt to give him more room to squeeze by, but the movement only succeeds in causing Fitz to stumble slightly and reach for the closest thing to keep his balance… her.

Each of his hands are now clasped around her shoulders and Jemma stiffens immediately at the contact. Fitz's eyes bug out and he quickly pushes himself away from her, smashing his head on the roof of the car and collapsing atop her as a result. Most of his upper body is sprawled across the car floor, one arm clutching at the armrest of the vacant bucket seat, but his legs are thrown over her own in a tangled heap.

Skye is cackling in the back seat as Trip chuckles slightly upfront and Jemma is positive that even _Raina_ is grinning at the display.

Jemma, however, is only focused on Fitz, who at this point has let his head fall to the floor and is covering his clearly red face with his hands in embarrassment. Jemma smiles softly at the sight and pats his legs in her lap with a sympathetic, "Oh Fitz."

-O-

He's sprawled out on the floor of Trip's van and all he can hear is Skye's cackling and the rapid pulsing of blood in his ears. He'd all but accosted Jemma and, while trying to do the gentlemanly thing, he'd just ended up managing to make a complete and utter fool of himself. Fitz groans internally as he squeezes his eyes shut behind his hands and replays the last few minutes as he confirms that, yes, that did in fact just happen.

He doesn't even fully take stock of his position until he feels something warm move across his shin and hears a soft voice over Skye's hysterical laughter. He slowly removes his hands from his face as he puts two and two together and blinks up at Jemma, who is smiling affectionately down at him as her hands pat his legs.

Fitz groans at the sight, both in embarrassment and because his position has provided him with a new angle with which to view _her_ legs, and he quickly shuts his eyes again as he slowly extracts his limbs from her lap. He sighs in mortification as he uses his arms to push himself into a sitting position on the floor and keeps his gaze focused on anything other than the people in the car.

"If Fitz is done being a dingus, will one of you shut the door so we can get a move on?"

Fitz glares in the direction that Trip's voice is coming from and is met with the other boy's teasing grin. He's about to hoist himself up to reach over and shut the door but pauses when his hand makes it half way over Jemma as she turns around to yank the door closed. Fitz swallows audibly at the sight and his hand hovers in Jemma's general vicinity before he feels a sharp kick to his side and quickly retracts his arm as he scowls at a grinning Skye.

Fitz rolls his eyes at the other girl and quickly lifts himself into the vacant bucket seat, keeping his head down in an attempt to hide his blush from the girl beside him.

The car pulls away from his house and Fitz keeps his eyes focused on the window until he feels a gentle kick, more of a nudge really, at his ankle. He turns his head and feels his heart begin to hammer in his chest at the sight of the soft smile that Jemma is sending his way. He blinks slightly in confusion, tempted to turn around to confirm that it's _him_ that Jemma's grinning at, before finding the courage to give her his own timid smile in return.

She turns to face forward again and Fitz takes the time to truly study her instead of having to rely on the fleeting glances he'd been sending her way for the past four years. There's something different about her makeup that makes his stomach turn and Fitz finds that every second he looks at her is one more moment of breathlessness. He moves his gaze slightly towards where Skye is leaning her head against the back of Jemma's seat and grinning at him with an unrelenting enthusiasm. She shoots him a wink, coupled with a rather lascivious waggling of her eyebrows, and Fitz feels his face redden again.

He doesn't mind all that much though and gives Skye a bashful smile before turning his head to face forward, all the while completely aware of the fact that only 7.5 inches of space is separating his hand from Jemma's.

-O-

When Trip finally pulls up to the restaurant, Jemma has counted all 63 glances that Fitz has less than subtly sent her way. Each glance resulted in her own blush, meaning that she'd spent the majority of the car ride to _Triskellion_ with red cheeks and a shy smile that she'd resolutely directed out the window.

She'd like to give Skye as little ammunition for teasing as she can.

Trip pulls into the parking lot and she spots Hunter and Bobbi leaning casually against the former's car, in the middle of a conversation that appears far more serious than anything Jemma has seen either of them involved in before. Jemma furrows her eyebrows at the sight and can't help but think back to Bobbi's odd behavior from last night. She makes a mental note to ask her friend what's going on _after_ the cast dinner.

When the car pulls to a stop beside Hunter's, Jemma turns around to throw Skye an excited grin. The other girl reaches forward to squeeze her shoulders, distracting Jemma from the fact that Fitz is already leaving to exit the car. She doesn't notice his movement until the door on his side slams shut.

Jemma blinks in confusion at the empty seat beside her and turns to look back at Skye forlornly. Skye seems just as bewildered for a moment before her eyes focus on something over Jemma's shoulder and a beaming smile quickly makes its way across her face. Jemma looks at her friend in confusion and opens her mouth to question her when she hears her _own_ door slide open.

She turns around in her seat and is met with the sight of Fitz standing beside her with rosy cheeks and an outstretched hand. It takes her a moment to process the visual but when she finally manages to put two and two together, she feels something catch in her throat.

 _He'd opened her door for her._

Jemma stares at Fitz in bewilderment for a moment before she feels Skye nudge her from behind and snaps out of her reverie. She blindly reaches behind her to unclip her seatbelt, not letting her eyes leave Fitz's blushing face, before reaching for his hand and shooting him an appreciative smile as his fingers tighten around her own.

Once she's out of the car Fitz drops her hand and shoves his own into his pockets as he stares at his feet. She again feels disappointed by the loss of contact and stares somewhat enviously at Fitz's pockets, where he seems far more comfortable placing his hands.

Jemma eyes his arm speculatively and notes that there are voices in her head, which sound suspiciously like Bobbi and Skye, that are encouraging her to _just do it._ The sight of Fitz looking so insecure causes something to flutter in her chest and Jemma is suddenly overcome with a courage that spurns her forward.

She takes a deep breath and takes a step closer to Fitz as she wraps her hand around the crook of his arm. His head snaps up the moment she makes contact with him and Jemma can't stop the smile that blooms across her face as he stares at her hand in awe. His eyes move up to meet her own and Jemma's smile grows as Fitz blinks owlishly at her before blushing and ducking his head down with a grin.

They begin to walk forward, following Trip and Raina who are already moving towards Hunter and Bobbi, and Jemma can feel her heart hammer in her chest when Fitz shifts a bit closer to her as they walk. Skye brushes past them on her way to catch up to Trip and shoots a wink in their direction that causes Jemma to duck her own head down in bashfulness.

When they make it to Hunter and Bobbi, Jemma lets her hand fall to her side and doesn't miss the way that Fitz scuffs his shoes against the pavement. Bobbi shoots her a questioning look that Jemma meets with an almost imperceptible shake of her head. Bobbi rolls her eyes and Jemma lets her gaze fall to where Fitz's hand is now out of his pocket and hanging limply at his side. Her fingers twitch in his direction and she quickly clenches her hand in a fist to prevent herself from threading her fingers between his.

When Jemma looks back up, Skye and Bobbi are giving her knowing looks and snickering at her poor attempt at keeping her hands to herself. Jemma sighs slightly as a heat makes its way across her face and can't help thinking that this is going to be a _long_ night.

-O-

Fitz's arm is still tingling from where Jemma had held on to it and it seems to be spreading upwards, filling his entire body with a constant buzzing that makes him feel as though his blood is beating through his veins. He sees the way that her hand is clenched at her side and flexes his own at the sight, desperately trying to keep himself from reaching over and locking Jemma's fingers through his.

He takes a deep breath and looks around at his friends in the hopes that one or more of them will distract him from Jemma's proximity. Luckily Hunter is in the vicinity, meaning that Fitz doesn't have to wait long before the other boy speaks up.

"Where's everyone else?" Hunter is staring around at the new arrivals, gaze landing on Trip last as he shoots the other boy a curious look.

Trip shrugs in response and nods his head in the direction of the restaurant. "Mack's already inside with the Donnie and the rest of the juniors and stage crew."

"What about Ward?"

Fitz glances around the group, noticing for the first time that the other boy hadn't been in the car with the rest of them. He feels bad for his obliviousness before reminding himself that he'd been more than a little distracted by Jemma to notice who else was and wasn't in Trip's car.

"Why don't you ask Skye?" Trip mutters it under his breath and Fitz blinks in surprise at the slight animosity in his tone. He shifts his gaze slightly to Jemma who glances at him in bewilderment before shrugging in uncertainty.

Evidently Skye is just as surprised by the comment because she turns to look at Trip in confusion. "Why should he ask _me_? How the hell would _I_ know where he is?"

Fitz notices the way Trip's jaw seems to clench at Skye's words and feels utterly perplexed at the other boy's reaction. There's a tension that seems to be looming over the pair and, based on the way Bobbi and Hunter are shooting worried looks at each other, Fitz isn't the only one who's noticed.

"Forget it. Come on let's head inside."

Trip walks off towards the restaurant, leaving the rest of them, namely _Skye,_ behind in the parking lot. The group is silent for a moment and Fitz's eyes zero in on where Raina is staring smugly at Trip's retreating form. She quickly moves to follow the other boy and Fitz furrows his brows at the sight. When he glances towards Bobbi, he notes that she too is eyeing the junior girl in suspicion.

His eyes flit over to Skye who is also looking at Trip, but unlike Raina, she's staring at him in hurt confusion. For some reason the sight of a dejected Skye makes Fitz extend his hand slightly and do what he's spent the past few minutes actively avoiding. He entwines his fingers through Jemma's and almost sighs in relief when, instead of recoiling and wrenching her hand away, she squeezes once and tugs him forward so that she can loop her free arm through Skye's.

Hunter, with one arm wrapped around Bobbi's waist, steps forward and throws his free arm around Fitz's shoulder and the group of friends make their way into the restaurant for what is _supposed_ to be a fun cast dinner.

-O-

The rest of the cast and crew are already waiting in the small private room at the back of the restaurant but Jemma barely notices them, instead using roughly 90% of her brain to pray that her hand won't get clammy while twined with Fitz's.

The other 10% is warily focused on the tension that seems to have erupted between Trip and Skye.

The other girl still has her arm looped through Jemma's, and is watching in confusion as Trip acts like his usual cheerful self, working his way through room and fist-bumping all of the other cast and crewmembers that are gathered for the dinner. He noticeably skips over Ward, who's leaning against a wall and passively observing the room, and shows an equal lack of affection towards Skye when he makes his way back over to them.

Skye's arm tightens briefly around Jemma's at the slight snub and Jemma throws Trip a questioning look. He responds with a roll of the eyes and a shrug of his shoulders before he moves over towards Mack, slapping the other boy on the back and animatedly launching into a discussion that Jemma can't make out.

She chances a glance at Fitz and is somewhat relieved to see that his own eyebrows are furrowed in confusion as he too notes Trip's behavior, as well as the new awkward dynamic between the other boy and Skye. Fitz tilts his head slightly and makes eye contact with Jemma as she quirks an eyebrow and subtly tilts her head in Trip's direction.

Apparently their professors and classmates had been correct in assuming that the two of them could work seamlessly together because Fitz nods once at her silent suggestion and squeezes her hand before letting go and making his way over towards Trip.

Jemma lets her newly freed hand fall to her side and briefly wonders if the tingling sensation stemming from the tips of her fingers and making its way up her arm is something that will always be the result of physical contact with Fitz. She blushes at the thought and internally chastises herself for becoming so smitten in a few days after _years_ of loathing Fitz.

Though, if she's being honest with herself, she never _really_ did.

She shakes her head to stop herself from wandering too far down _that_ path and focuses her attention back to Skye, who's still staring at Trip in confusion. Jemma leans her head against the other girl, squeezing her arm gently as she silently motions for Bobbi to come join them.

-O-

Fitz's hand feels as though it's on fire when he moves away from Jemma and makes his way towards where Mack and Trip are chatting amicably. He can't quite make out what the two boys are saying but notices the way Trip's smile seems more strained than usual. Fitz furrows his brows at this as his mind replays the past few minutes and slowly attempts to piece together the rather vague clues that have presented themselves.

It didn't take a genius, though he certainly _is_ one, to notice Trip's cold behavior towards Skye and his even chillier interaction, or lack thereof, with Ward. Avoiding Ward is somewhat understandable considering the other boy's general aloofness and past fling with Trip's current crush, but Fitz truly has no idea as to why Trip would be anything less than affectionate and smitten with Skye.

By some weird turn of events, Fitz and Jemma have become more affectionate tonight than _Trip_ and _Skye_ and, though he's slightly pleased by the slight progress he's made with his _own_ crush, Fitz is slightly uncomfortable knowing that his good fortune seems to have occurred simultaneously with a spat between SHIELD's resident love birds.

Now that he thinks about it, the car ride to the restaurant had lacked the usual chatter that Fitz has come to associate with the carpools. Not to mention the fact that _Raina_ of all people was the one seated at Trip's side with Skye crammed in the back as though she was intentionally being left out of any potential conversation. Fitz had been silent throughout the journey, more focused on remaining calm and not making an even bigger ass of himself in front of Jemma, but so had everyone else in the car, which is more than a little odd.

There was no obvious flirting, no jovial banter, and no exchanging of winks in the rearview mirror. What little of Fitz's brain that was able to process anything other than his proximity to Jemma is now screaming at him about how completely off that car ride had truly been. There's a tension that seems to surround TripSkye tonight and, the fact that Jemma had all but pushed Fitz in the other boy's direction, confirms that he's not the only one who seems to have picked up on this dark cloud.

He joins Mack and Trip just as the former is delivering a punch line to a joke that Fitz's isn't sure he'd understand even if he _had_ heard the entire thing, and he chances a quick glance at Jemma as the other boys burst into laughter. Her head is leaning against Skye's shoulder and he sees her hand twitch at her side. He's not surprised to see Bobbi detach herself from Hunter and make her way over towards the other girls. As the taller girl joins the other two, Jemma catches Fitz's eye and the immediate butterflies that erupt in his chest at the eye contact aren't quite strong enough to rid him of the bad feeling that seems to have permeated its way through him.

-O-

Jemma notes the wary expression on Fitz's face and, though her cheeks are likely flushed from the eye contact, she's sure that her own face mirrors his. She's never been one to take stock in omens or cosmic signs, but Jemma can't shake the feeling that something is off tonight.

Next to nothing had been said in the car and, while her inability to recall any sort of conversation could stem from the fact that her only focus had been Fitz, Jemma's almost certain that the usual flirty banter between Trip and Skye was completely non-existent tonight.

She almost sighs in relief when Bobbi joins them and glances questioningly in her direction. Jemma can do nothing but widen her eyes in confusion, prompting Bobbi to nod her head in understanding before turning to face Skye.

"You okay?"

Skye looks up at the taller girl and sighs before glancing back in Trip's direction. "Yeah, I'm fine. Actually… I'm beyond parched. I'm gonna go pour myself some water, do either of you want anything?"

Both Jemma and Bobbi shake their heads at the question and Skye gives them a somber smile before heading for the pitcher of water sitting on the long table.

Bobbi waits approximately thirty seconds after the other girl's departure before turning to Jemma in bewilderment. "What the _hell_ is going on?"

Jemma shakes her head as she widens her eyes at her friend. "I have no bloody clue. It's been like this all night. Trip has barely spoken a word to her and when he _has_ decided to, they've been these weird passive aggressive remarks. _Raina_ sat shotgun Bobbi. _Raina."_

Bobbi glances towards where Raina is now chatting with Ward and narrows her eyes as Jemma continues talking.

"I mean, they're usually nauseatingly affectionate but tonight… It's been so awkward Bob. It's like Trip's actively avoiding Skye, who has no idea _why_ he's avoiding her. There's this crazy tension and… I dunno… Trip's behavior has just been really bizarre."

Bobbi nods her head at this, not taking her eyes off of Raina and Ward in the corner as she replies to Jemma. "Yeah it's especially weird considering, last I heard, Trip was planning on prom-posing to Skye tonight."

"He was what?!"

Jemma and Bobbi's eyes widen at the sound of the third voice and Bobbi quickly turns around to face Skye, who has evidently returned from her quest to retrieve a beverage. Her mouth is open as her eyes flit between Bobbi and Jemma, both of whom groan at the sight.

"What do you mean Trip's prom-posing tonight?" Skye's eyes zero in on Jemma, no doubt assuming that she'll be the easiest to crack, but all she can do is shrug her shoulders in defense.

Both she and Skye turn their heads towards Bobbi who has her eyes shut in regret. "Oh god… Oh no you weren't supposed to hear that."

"Bobbi…" Skye's tone is low and she takes a seemingly threatening step towards the taller girl.

Bobbi groans again before taking a cursory look around the room and gesturing for Skye and Jemma to move closer to her. "Okay listen… You didn't hear this from me because it was supposed to be a secret and if someone, namely Trip, does find out you heard it from someone… tell him you heard it from Hunter."

Both Jemma and Skye nod their heads in understanding as Bobbi takes a deep breath and begins whispering quickly under her breath. "Okay, from what I heard from Trip the other week, he chose this place for the cast dinner because he wanted to ask you to prom in front of all your friends at the restaurant where you…"

"Had our first unofficial date." Skye finishes the other girl's sentence as her eyes focus on where Trip is standing behind Jemma's shoulder. She looks touched by the thought but then her face quickly shifts into one of confusion. "But if that's _true,_ why has he been avoiding me like the plague?"

Jemma raises an eyebrow at this and looks at Bobbi speculatively. The other girl seems to falter slightly as she gazes in Trip's direction and Jemma quickly realizes that Bobbi is just as clueless about the boy's behavior as she is. After a long pause Bobbi straightens up and eagerly glances towards Skye.

"I bet he's just being distant because he didn't want you to suspect anything… You know, like, he wanted to throw you off so you'd be even more surprised."

Skye looks dubious at this but Jemma doesn't miss the flicker of hope that crosses her features as she says, "You think?"

Bobbi nods her head in excitement and becomes increasingly confident in her assumption regarding Trip's behavior. "Oh yeah, for sure. You and Trip go together better than PB&J, we know it, everyone at school knows it, and so does he. He's only been asking me and Jemma for advice for _ages._ "

Jemma nods along at this because everything Bobbi had just said is completely true. "Bobbi's right Skye. I'm sure you have absolutely nothing to worry about. You haven't done anything that would actually upset Trip, meaning this whole cold shoulder situation is probably just him trying to avoid you since it'd take ten seconds for you to get the secret out of him."

Skye is silent for a moment as she processes her words. Jemma holds her breath as she focuses on Skye's facial expression and sighs in relief when a tentative smile blooms across the other girl's face. "It'd probably only actually take me _five_ seconds to get it out of him."

Bobbi and Jemma both laugh at this before looping their arms through Skye's and making their way towards the rest of the cast and crew.

-O-

Fitz is nervously shifting on his feet as he watches Jemma, Bobbi, and Skye become involved in what _appears_ to be a serious conversation. He's almost positive that it has to do with whatever's been going on with Trip and decides that he should work the problem at another angle. He's just about to ask Trip if anything's going on when Hunter walks up and throws an arm over his shoulder.

"Hello boys."

Mack and Trip both laugh at the other boy's entrance but Fitz groans internally at his truly awful timing. His exasperation with Hunter quickly disappears though, because in the next second the other boy is turning to Trip with a questioning gaze.

"You alright mate? You seem a bit… stiff. Nervous about the whole _asking Skye to prom_ thing?"

Fitz's eyes widen in surprise at the question and he suddenly wants to pat Hunter on the back for his truly _wonderful_ timing. The excitement at the new piece of knowledge dissipates instantly as he notes Trip's own reaction to the question. If Hunter thought Trip had been stiff before, he's practically inflexible now. The other boy straightens instantly at Hunter's words and his jaw seems to clench in anger as his arms cross against his chest.

"Mind your own damn business Hunter."

There's no amusement in the words, so unlike Trip's usual countenance, and Hunter's eyes raise in surprise as Fitz unconsciously takes a step back. Even ever neutral Mack seems shocked by Trip's anger and shifts awkwardly as if trying to distance himself from the other two boys.

"Whoa mate. Calm down. I was just asking." Hunter raises his hands in defense after realizing how upset Trip truly is by the question.

"Well keep your questions to yourself."

Trip snaps in response and takes a step closer to Hunter so that he's looming over the other boy. Hunter, never one to back down, furrows his eyebrows in irritation and takes his own step forward so that he can angrily hiss in Trip's face

"What the hell is your damage Trip?!"

Trip pushes his own face forward until there are only a few inches between him and Hunter. "My _damage_ Hunter, is that I don't feel like getting the third degree from you tonight. So back off."

Hunter rolls his eyes at this and takes a step back as he once again raises his hands in defense. "It was _one_ question! Jeez, don't get your panties in a twist."

Trip takes a step closer to the other boy and Fitz anxiously tries to think of anything he might be able to say to ease the tension. He wracks his brain in desperation but comes up empty so he just says the first thing that pops into his head.

"I umm… _I_ want to ask _Jemma_ to prom."

He flinches at his delivery as well as the actual content of his statement. He's not sure it even worked but after what feels like an eternity, Trip and Hunter both pause before simultaneously turning to gape at him in surprise.

"You _what?!"_

"Yeah… I… I mean we seem to have come to a truce and… Well we all know that I don't exactly have any interest in going with anyone _other_ than Jemma so…" He'd begun the statement solely as a means of distracting Hunter and Trip, but as Fitz continues to speak he realizes how truthful he's actually being. "I dunno. I figured I'd take a shot at it."

He hangs his head down and scuffs his shoe against the floor in embarrassment as he awaits the response of his friends. He's expecting them to hesitantly tell him that it's not a good idea, that a few days of a tentative truce were _not_ enough to make Jemma want to go to prom with him, and prepares himself for the disappointment that is sure to come.

He looks up in surprise when Trip and Hunter whoop in excitement and high-five each other before turning back to him. He's a bit stunned by the sight considering the fact that they had just been on the verge of a far different type of physical contact, and looks between them in surprise as they beam at him and simultaneously shoot him thumbs up. He turns towards Mack expecting _him_ to be the voice of reason that will tell him that asking Jemma to prom is a genuinely terrible idea, and finds his eyes widening even more as he notes that Mack is beaming just as much as the other two.

"Turbo man, that's awesome! Good for you!" Mack claps him on the back in enthusiasm and Fitz feels his blush deepen at the other boy's excitement.

"Oh man Fitz, this is so great!" Hunter throws an arm around his shoulder and Trip begins to nod his head eagerly at the other boy's words before adding his own.

"Yeah, beyond great Fitz. Man, this was such a long time coming!"

Fitz can do nothing but stare between the faces of his beaming friends with stupefied expression on his face. "R… Really? You really think it's a good idea?"

"Mate, I know you're a genius and have obviously had some good ideas in your lifetime… but this is by far your best." Hunter tugs him closer and grins down at him in complete sincerity.

Fitz's eyes flit over towards Mack and Trip who are nodding their heads in agreement. For a moment Fitz wonders if this is some sort of cruel prank that will end with him asking Jemma to prom with the encouragement of his friends, only to be rejected immediately and teased mercilessly by the others. The worry is gone in a second though because Mack, Trip, and Hunter are looking at him with such sincere enthusiasm that Fitz knows couldn't _possibly_ be faked.

He lets a smile break out over his face and, at the sight of it, the other boys converge around him and begin grilling him for details that he doesn't actually have. They spend a few minutes chatting, all previous tension forgotten, and Fitz finds himself to be genuinely appreciative of the advice that the others are giving him.

After a few minutes, the girls seem to appear out of nowhere, all looking slightly more relaxed than they had the last time Fitz had seen them. Bobbi doesn't hesitate to loop her arm though Hunter's and Skye slowly moves to sandwich herself between Mack and Trip.

Fitz only has eyes for one person though. The one person who is shooting him a tentative smile that he quickly mirrors with the addition of two blushing cheeks. He can almost _feel_ the others' eyes on him as he shifts slightly so that he is closer to Jemma, his hand a few millimeters away from her own. He tries to find the courage that he'd had before and just reach out to grab it, but the knowing smiles that his friends are giving him paralyzes him in place.

It's silent for a moment, differing degrees of tension looming over the group, but Bobbi breaks it after a few seconds as she raises her voice to speak to the entire cast and crew that's crowded in the room.

"So… you guys ready to eat?"

-O-

The little private dining room has a roaring fireplace that aids in giving the space a very _specific_ atmosphere. The ambience is far more romantic than the places the cast usually frequents and Jemma would be lying if she said that it didn't give her a rare burst of courage. Following Skye onto one of the long benches, Jemma takes a calming breath and reaches behind her to grasp Fitz's hand and drag him in after her.

Skye says hello to her fellow crew mates and asks Donnie, who's seated across the table, if he's finally managed to figure out the cues for the funeral scene. Jemma's too distracted by the empty feeling in her chest as Fitz removes his hand from her grasp to properly concentrate on Donnie's answer. The loss of heat against her skin makes Jemma feel as though the fireplace beside the table has been turned off, but then Fitz looks up from the menu he's scanning to smile at her shyly and the flame within her is lit again.

The rest of the cast and crew find their places at the table and the various greetings fade into relative silence as everyone searches through their respective menus. Jemma barely has to read the print before she decides on the Garden Salad and glances around at the silent table to examine her friends.

The silence doesn't last long because in an instant Hunter is shouting down the table, "Trip, just clarifying that we're getting separate bills right? 'Cause no offense mate but I'd rather not pay for the buffet that Fitz is gonna order."

Jemma doesn't even have to glance up from her menu to see the glare that Fitz shoots the boy sitting across from him because she can practically _feel_ its intensity from where she's sitting beside him.

"Yeah," Trip responds without glancing away from his menu, "Separate bills."

"So no bacon wrapped steak for you then." Fitz replies with a smirk as he puts his menu down and folds his hands on top of it.

Hunter's mouth is still hanging open and practically watering when the waitress enters their dining room and heads towards the table, so Bobbi pats his chin softly as she mutters under her breath, "Manners Hunter."

The waitress finally reaches them and pulls out a small notepad before smiling at the large party. "Hi everyone, my name's Kara, I'll be your waitress tonight. Can I get you guys started with some drinks, or some appetizers if you're ready?"

"Actually, I think we're ready to just order our meals. Right guys?" Trip glances down the table with raised eyebrows and everyone at the table, other than Skye, nods their head in confirmation. "Yeah we're ready to go."

"Awesome. Separate bills for everyone then?" When Trip nods again Kara turns to Bobbi, who's sitting at the end and readies her pen, "Then what can I get for you tonight?"

Kara works her way down that side of the table; Bobbi, Hunter, Trip, Raina, Mack, Lola, Natasha, and Clint then loops back and takes the orders of those who are sitting along the bench; Bruce, Tony, Chris, and Donnie before reaching Skye, who is still flipping through the menu in her hands.

Instead of pushing, Kara stands quietly and waits patiently as Skye makes a decision.

"Umm… I'll have the Hawaiian, umm no, ugh… I'll have the chicken penne and a… coke please." Skye closes her menu and hands it over to Kara with a warm smile that is immediately mirrored by the waitress.

"Good choice."

Kara then proceeds to turn to Jemma, "How about you?"

Jemma closes her menu before politely placing her order. "May I please have a ginger ale and the garden salad."

Kara takes the menu from Jemma's outstretched hand and nods in concentration as she jots down the order onto the small notepad. "Of course you can."

"Thank you." Jemma shoots the waitress her brightest smile just as she hears a scoff from her right. Turning to face Fitz and his questioning expression, her smile falters "What?"

Fitz rolls his eyes slightly before shooting her a dubious look. "That's not enough food to feed a baby rabbit let alone a human being. Do you ever eat?"

"Yes I _eat_ Fitz."

There's a hint of all-too familiar snarkiness in Jemma's tone and she hears it the moment the words leave her lips. She knows that Fitz has heard it as well when his questioning gaze stiffens slightly before shifting to a nervous expression. She realizes that her response to his teasing likely seemed less joking than she'd intended. She doesn't want him to think that she's actually irritated with him, so Jemma smiles playfully at her once enemy and current…something, before hastily explaining the reasoning behind her choice of dinner.

"This way I have room for dessert."

She sneaks a glance at Trip who is engaged in a _riveting_ conversation with Hunter before returning her gaze to Fitz and nudging his arm affectionately, "Now order _your_ food so that we're not here until morning."

Fitz rolls his eyes at her statement but Jemma can see the way that the tension seems to drain from his body as he notes that she's not actually upset with him. "Haha. Very funny."

Kara is smiling down at them and interjects when it seems as though their little couple's fight has concluded. "Alright then handsome, what can I get for you?"

Jemma tries to ignore the way her chest seems to tighten uncomfortably at Kara's remark but fails horribly. As Fitz starts to list off his order, Jemma allows herself a moment to admire his figure. A figure that's being nicely shown off in the black t-shirt that had made her mouth drop earlier. Jemma's not sure if her reaction had been what Fitz was going for when he'd gotten dressed earlier in the evening, but it was most certainly the result.

Fitz finally finishes ordering his food and Jemma, furtively glancing at the way his muscles seem to bulge in the tight shirt, wonders how he manages eat so much and still keep his wiry physique. She comes to the decision that he must work out and her mind is just starting to picture what Fitz would look like drenched in sweat after a run when he hands his menu to Kara and chimes in on Trip an Hunter's conversation about the practicality of time-travel.

She shakes her head at her inability to concentrate on anything other than Fitz and quickly turns to listen to the conversation and at least _pretend_ that she's able to process the words that are being spoken. In actuality, she is distracted by a single thought that seems to become a mantra in her mind.

 _Leo Fitz will be the end of her._

-O-

It takes every ounce of energy in his body for Fitz to keep his eyes trained on anything other than Jemma. Every once in a while he feels her thigh brush against his along the bench as she shifts to turn with the conversation and he has to bite his lip every time in a bid to _not do something stupid_.

At one point he laughs at a story that Hunter is telling and subconsciously lets his hands fall from the table into his lap. Normally this wouldn't be an issue but Jemma's proximity means that he accidentally grazes the smooth skin of her legs that isn't covered by her dangerously short shorts as his hands move from the table in the direction of his lap. Fitz's eyes widen at the contact and he wrenches his hands away as though they'd been burned, firmly placing them on the table where there's no chance of further incident.

His face is beet red and, though Jemma's technically the only one who _actually_ knows why he's swallowing audibly and tensing every part of his body, Skye shoots him a knowing look and wiggles her eyebrows at him with a grin.

He chances a look at Jemma, who is immersed in an in-depth conversation with Bobbi about some biochem assignment that they're working on together, and notes the way that her cheeks seem slightly flushed as well. He expects her to turn slightly and shoot him a glare for his accidental touching of her thigh but instead she just nods eagerly at Bobbi as her own hand moves towards her napkin. She's still immersed in her conversation with the other girl as she moves to drop the cloth into her own lap, so Fitz turns back to Hunter and takes a long sip of his water, choking on it slightly when he feels something squeeze his knee under the table.

He starts coughing immediately, drawing the attention of everyone at the table, and Mack has to thwack him on the back from where he's seated next to him. He waves the other boy off once he's able to get a lungful of air, and is equally dismissive of the concerned looks that everyone at the table is giving him.

"M'fine. Just went down the wrong pipe."

His statement is enough to reassure everyone and within a moment the table is once again buzzing with the hum of multiple conversations. Fitz lets his eyes flit briefly towards Jemma, who shoots him a quick grin before turning to resume her conversation with Bobbi.

Fitz swallows again and tries to focus on Hunter but all he can really do is concentrate on one certain fact.

 _Jemma Simmons will be the death of him._

-O-

The rest of the dinner goes off without much of a hitch. Their food arrives and most people at the table just watch in entertainment as Fitz manages to pack away everything he'd ordered as well some of the scraps that his friends eagerly push his way.

Jemma finds herself to be both repulsed and mildly impressed by the display and giggles along with everyone else when Fitz finally waves his hands in defeat when she nudges the rest of her salad in his direction. Her giggle turns into a full-blown laugh when he collapses against the back of the long bench and places his hands on his stomach with closed eyes and a grimace on his face.

"Oh Fitz."

She shakes her head at him in fond exasperation and he cracks an eye open at her tone. Jemma chuckles again at the low groan that leaves his mouth and uses his rather pathetic appearance as an excuse to move her hand to his shoulder and allow her thumb to rub soothing circles against the skin covered by the black cotton of his shirt.

Fitz sighs at the movement and closes his eye again as he moves one of the hands on his stomach and places it atop Jemma's on his shoulder. She's a bit stunned by his nonchalance, borderline _forwardness,_ and apparently so is Fitz because after a few moments his eyes fly open and he straightens in his seat as he moves his hand from hers.

His cheeks are the bright red that Jemma has now come to associate with him and, as she glances around the table at the knowing smirks her friends are sending in their direction, Jemma feels her own cheeks flush with warmth.

There's a tentative give and take between her and Fitz now, neither certain as to what boundaries still exist and which have been obliterated by their vague admittance of past feelings, and Jemma decides that, for as confident as Fitz is in his element at school, _she'll_ have to be the one to take initiative.

So she does.

-O-

Fitz is still red from unthinkingly grabbing Jemma's hand and lets his mind run through possible reasons for which the action had been done with such ease. The concept of some magnetic force pulling him closer to Jemma, though not necessarily plausible, is the only thing Fitz can come up with to explain the complete and utter effortlessness that comes from being in her vicinity. He spends so much of his time thinking and over-thinking that he doesn't realize how little he has to concentrate when with her.

There's always been an ease to their relationship, even when it was rife with bickering and feigned hatred, they'd always been able to speak and interact with very little thought. Apparently the same holds true now considering that half of Fitz's contact with Jemma has stemmed simply from the fact that it felt natural to him.

While a part of him is excited by the fact that, whatever their shifting relationship is, a part of Fitz will simply react to Jemma with a natural ease. The _other_ part of him however, is almost hyperaware of the fact that his natural instincts may not actually be warranted or appreciated on Jemma's end. He resolutely decides that he's not going to let himself follow his gut, instead choosing to have his mind think through every situation before allowing himself to act.

The thought flies out of his head though when Jemma's arm brushes against his and her pinky twines with his where their hands are both resting on the bench between them. Fitz takes a deep gulp, glancing around at where his friends are unsuccessfully hiding their smiles before turning his head to meet Jemma's gaze. There's a soft smile on her face and her small nod of encouragement spurns him on. He twists his hand and threads his fingers through Jemma's squeezing once before taking their joined hands and resting them on his bouncing knee.

She laughs softly under her breath, nudging him slightly and glancing at their hands until he takes the hint and stills his restless leg with a blush. Her thumb moves to brush against his palm and Fitz can't stop himself from grinning.

They hold hands under the table as Kara comes to clear everyone's plates, they hold hands when the waitress informs the table that Coulson had already footed the bill and ordered chocolate lava cakes for everyone, and they hold hands when they dig into their respective treats.

Their grips slacken and tighten sporadically throughout the remainder of the meal, loosening as each tries to attempt to eat their cakes with one hand, and tightening whenever they catch the other staring at them. Fitz can't remember the last time he's smiled this much and even Skye's teasing winks aren't enough to lessen the giddiness that seems to overwhelm him.

He doesn't think this night could get much better and doesn't think anything of it when Trip stand and taps his knife against his glass to get the full attention of the cast and crew. Fitz watches as Skye straightens and eagerly gazes up at Trip while Bobbi and Jemma both exchange cautiously optimistic glances. This piques Fitz's curiosity so he releases Jemma's hand and places his on her knee, tapping once with his forefinger to get her attention.

Her gaze focuses on where his hand is resting for a brief moment and Fitz almost retracts it before she turns to him with a small smile and a tilt of the head.

He nods towards the others and raises a questioning eyebrow that Jemma responds to with a shrug and a wink that causes his heart to hammer in his chest. He's about to open his mouth to verbally question her when Trip clears his throat and Fitz snaps his head back to the other boy. He leaves his hand where it's resting on Jemma's knee and feels his heart quicken even more when Jemma rests her hand atop his, pinning it between the smooth skin of her leg and palm.

Normally it would be enough to distract him from even a zombie apocalypse but Fitz's curiosity is enough to tamper his excitement over Jemma and allow him to give Trip his, _mostly,_ undivided attention.

"Guys, we all know why we're here. We've spent a shitload of time together over the past couple of weeks and we've all grown tight as a result." Trip is looking around the room with a smile on his face. "Some of us have grown a bit tighter than others…"

For a brief moment Fitz thinks he sees Trip's jaw clench and his eyes flit towards Ward and Skye, but he quickly decides that it must have been a trick of the light because in the next instant Trip is staring at him and Jemma with a beaming smile that seems to take up his entire face. The other boy raises an eyebrow at where their hands seem to disappear beneath the table and Fitz doesn't have to turn his head to know that Jemma's face is as red as his.

"…but I know that, no matter what, this play has done exactly what Coulson probably intended: bringing us all together." Everyone at the table is nodding their heads along with Trip as he speaks with sincerity.

"So first and foremost, I'd like to propose a toast to our fearless leader Director Coulson." Everyone quickly raises their glasses and cheers at Coulson's name.

"And secondly…" Trip glances down at Skye for a brief moment, causing the girl to straighten again and look at him with a fond smile. "…while all of my friends are in the same room together…" Skye's smile grows even wider as she tucks a piece of hair behind her ear. "…I'd like to take this moment for a little special announcement that doesn't really have anything to do with the play. All you seniors know that a pretty special occasion is coming up…"

Skye's practically vibrating with excitement at this point and Fitz suddenly remembers Hunter's mention of Trip's prom-posal.

"Graduation."

Fitz watches the look of confusion that crosses over Skye's face as she processes Trip's words and practically deflates at the topic of his speech. "I just wanted to say how much I'm going to miss you guys after graduation and can't wait to spend these last few months with everyone. Cheers!"

There are some whoops and hollers and cheers of, "Let's make senior year count," but Fitz only has enough senses to concentrate on the way Jemma's hand tightens around his and the way that Skye seems utterly dejected.

-O-

Jemma's eyes are focused on Skye who appears to be more than a little crestfallen over Trip's, "big announcement." The other girl focuses her eyes on her water glass as she forlornly pushes her bangs out of her face with a hasty swipe of her hand.

Trip looks down at her and rolls his eyes, causing Jemma's mouth to drop open in surprise. The surprise only grows when Trip crosses his arms and speaks derisively down to Skye. "What's got you in such a sour mood?"

He gets no response as Skye continue to fiddle with the glass in front of her and, though Trip can't see any sort of reaction from where he's standing, Jemma has a clear view of the other girl's narrowing eyes and annoyed expression. Trip glowers down at her and obnoxiously waves his hand in front of the other girl's face.

"Earth to Skye…"

She finally looks up at this and stares at him in feigned confusion that does little to hide her irritation. "Oh, I'm sorry, were you actually talking to _me?_ "

Trip's eyes narrow even more and he takes a step closer to the other girl as he leans down in displeasure. "Yeah actually I was, thought it was obvious considering you're the only one in this place that's acting like someone just killed your dog."

Jemma feels Fitz grip her knee under the table as she herself sucks in a shaky breath at Trip's condescending tone. Apparently his attitude isn't lost on Skye because she throws her napkin on the table and turns in her chair so that she can face him fully in a combination of anger and confusion.

"God what the hell is _wrong_ with you tonight?!"

Trip shrugs and shakes his head at this before straightening up and placing his hands on his hips. "Nothing's wrong with me. Something's clearly bothering _you_ though, hence my earlier question: what's got you in such a sour mood?"

Skye stands at this and takes a step forward so that her chest is a few scant centimeters away from Trip's. "You really want to know?"

The taller boy raises his hands in a rather patronizing manner and gestures for Skye to continue. "Please, enlighten me."

Jemma can see Skye's irritation slowly mold into an expression of hurt and uncertainty before the other girl immediately straightens and puts on a mask of confidence. "I'm in a bad mood because you booked a private room at _our_ restaurant, you ordered my favorite dessert, you made sure that all of our friends were here and I just thought…"

"You just thought _what_ Skye?" Trip's face is entirely impassive which causes the sour feeling in Jemma's stomach to grow.

Skye sighs in defeat and Jemma can see that there are unshed tears in the other girl's eyes as she emotionally says, "I don't know! I thought there might have been a _reason_ for it. I thought… I thought you were going to ask me to prom. Happy? That's why I'm not in a great mood. Because there were all these signs and I really want to go to prom and I thought you were going to ask me to go with _you_."

It's silent for a few long moments before Trip takes a step away from Skye and crosses his arms with a look of loathing on his face. "You wanna go to prom so bad? Why don't you go with _Ward._ I'm sure you two will enjoy sticking your tongues down each other's throats."

" _What?!_ "

Skye and everyone else's eyes bug out at this. Jemma takes a cursory glance around and notices that everyone seems just as shocked as she is over Trip's statement. Well… almost everyone. Jemma's eyes narrow as she takes in the sight of a smirking Raina and an unemotional Ward. She's about to question them when Trip speaks up again and stops her in her tracks.

"Yeah I know all about it. Guess those rumors from sophomore year were true. You really are just some easy slu…"

Trip doesn't get a chance to finish his sentence before Skye's hand flies out and connects with his cheek with an audible slap. There are tears streaming down her face but it's hard to discern whether they're the result of being hurt or enraged. Skye hastily swipes at her cheeks before grabbing her jacket from where it's draped across the chair and leveling Trip with a glare.

"Screw you."

It's not quite a shout but the emotion behind Skye's words makes her delivery rival the power of a canon. She turns on her heels and stomps towards the exit, brushing past the rest of the cast and crew whose gazes are on her. Trip seems stupefied, hand touching his cheek in astonishment, before a flame appears in his eyes and he turns towards the door to shout after Skye.

"Screw _me?_ From what I hear, it's _Ward_ you're screwing!"

Jemma's hands fly to her mouth as she and Bobbi instantly stand from where they're seated. Skye pauses briefly at the door as though she's about to turn back but then she quickly puts her hands to her face and walks out of the room. The looming silence makes it easy to hear her choked sobs echo down the hallway and Jemma and Bobbi don't hesitate to rush after their friend.

Jemma's only concern is Skye and she's consumed with an iciness that leaves her somewhat stunned. She does feel a _brief_ flash of warmth at the sound of a distinctly Scottish accent yelling, "What the _hell_ Trip," as she and Bobbi leave the room.

-O-

Fitz is staring at Trip in shock as the other boy just glares at the door that the girls had just exited through.

"Bloody hell mate that was messed up. What the hell was _that?_ " Hunter asks the same question that Fitz, and likely the rest of the cast and crew gathered in the room, want the answer to. Trip turns to stare between them and his face is just as stony as it's been most of the night.

" _That_ was me calling Skye out on the shit she's pulled lately."

Fitz stares at Trip in shock as he tries to piece together what is the other boy is saying. After a few tense seconds he decides that there's not enough information for Fitz to make heads or tails of the situation, so he decides the best method is simply to ask.

"What the _hell_ are you talking about?!"

Normally he might be embarrassed at the high pitch of his voice, but he's far more interested in trying to figure out whether or not Trip is on drugs than he is in audibly conveying his manliness.

"I'm talking about Skye making out with that asshole the other night." Trip points an accusing finger to Ward, who blinks in surprise and raises his hands in defense.

Fitz's mouth opens in shock at this revelation as he tries to wrack his brain as to _why_ Skye would _ever_ kiss Ward when she was so obviously into Trip. "I'm sure there's a perfectly reasonable explanation for…"

"The _explanation_ Fitz, is that Skye is basically a cheater and I want nothing to do with her."

Trip storms out of the room at this, leaving Fitz, Hunter, Mack, and the rest of the cast and crew glancing awkwardly around the room. There are soft mutterings as the group begins to slowly disperse, calling out soft goodbyes and mumblings of, "See you guys in school," and, "Can I get a ride home?" Fitz notices that Ward and Raina leave together and wonders when exactly those two had gotten so close.

After a few tense moments, the room is empty save for Hunter, Fitz, and Mack, who are all staring at each other in confusion. Fitz looks at Mack, who is shaking his head and looking at the door in bafflement, before turning his gaze to Hunter.

Surprisingly, the other boy seems to be lost in thought as he gazes at some fixed point on the floor with a furrowed brow. After a few tense moments his head snaps up and his eyes widen as he seems to piece together whatever it is that he'd been ruminating.

"Oh bloody hell…"

Fitz and Mack exchange a look before returning their respective gazes towards Hunter. The other boy turns to them slowly with his mouth open. "I think… I think I actually might have an idea as to what that was all about."

Fitz raises his eyebrows in surprise and Mack is quick to motion for Hunter to continue. The other boy plops down on one of the now vacant chairs and Fitz and Mack join him at the table, awaiting his explanation for the drama that just went down. It's silent for another few moments before Hunter leans forward in his chair with a serious expression.

"Okay… So the other day I was in the supply closet with Bob when we overheard Ward and Raina talking…"

Fitz and Mack listen with rapt attention as Hunter fills them in on everything he knows and suspects and, when the other boy finally finishes his tale, Fitz is left with a thrumming anxiousness. He glances warily at the door that everyone had long-since stepped through and wonders how a night meant to bring everyone together ended up breaking everyone apart.

After a few moments of silence, Kara walks into the small room and does a double take at the three boys who are still sitting at the table. She shoots them an apologetic look before telling them that they need to leave before the late night dinner party arrives, and they nod in understanding as they grab their things and walk towards the door.

As they move, Mack turns to Hunter with a serious expression and says, "Just because Coulson didn't think anything of it, doesn't mean Fury won't. You should tell him everything you just told us."

Fitz nods along with Mack's words as Hunter seems to think them over. Finally he sighs in acceptance and mumbles, "Yeah I think I will," under his breath. The trio makes their way towards the parking lot before Hunter groans in exasperation as he looks down at his phone. "Bobbi had my keys. Just texted me saying she drove Skye home. Dammit."

Fitz groans himself at the other boy's words as he realizes that _Trip_ had been his ride home. "Oh man…"

Mack chuckles slightly and pats his friends on the back. "Don't sweat it boys. I'll give you a lift."

Fitz smiles appreciatively up at his friend before spotting something, rather _someone,_ sitting at a bench down the street. His brows furrow at the sight as he wonders, _what is she still doing here?_ It takes about two seconds for him to realize that he'll likely be walking home tonight as he speaks up without tearing his eyes away from the figure. "Actually Mack… I don't think I need a ride."

Mack and Hunter both shoot him a surprised look before turning their gazes to look at whatever seems to have transfixed him. Once they spot who it is he's looking at, they turn back to Fitz with knowing smiles before clapping him on the back with a wink as they head towards the car. "Good luck Fitz."

He waves his hands dismissively in their direction before shoving his hands in his pockets and making his way over to Jemma.

-O-

The pavement of the sidewalk bites into the back of Jemma's thighs as she massages her temples with her head in her hands. After a few moments trying to calm her breathing, she hears soft footsteps approaching her from the left.

Jemma doesn't have to look up to know who it is, his presence calming her without the need for him to utter a word. He sits down beside her and she doesn't know how to react, so she's glad that Fitz takes the initiative and places his hand on her back, rubbing soothing circles across her shoulder blades. She tries to stop the trembling of her ribcage but the events of the evening catch up to her and she can't hold back the sob that wrenches itself from her throat.

Before she knows it, Fitz's arms are around her shoulders and she's crying into the black tee that she'd been admiring all night long. Her mind briefly thinks about how a week ago she never would've pictured herself crying in _Fitz's_ arms of all people and a part of her wants to smile at how far they've come. But then Jemma feels guilty for thinking about her own relationship- if you could even _call_ it that- immediately following everything that had gone down between Trip and Skye. The reminder causes her to cry a bit harder as she contemplates how so many things had gone wrong.

Jemma loses track of time and, before she knows it, her tear ducts have run dry and there's a slightly darker black patch on Fitz's already black shirt. She pulls away from him and her hand moves unthinkingly towards the tear stain as she attempts to rub at it in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to… " She sits up again, wiping beneath her eyes to clear up the mascara that might've started to run and shoots Fitz a regretful look.

He smiles softly down at her and shrugs unconcernedly. "No it's okay. I… Umm... It's not like this is a regular fixture in my wardrobe anyways."

Jemma wants to make a comment about how it _should_ be a regular fixture in his wardrobe, but Fitz continues talking before she finds the courage to voice her opinion.

"Now if it were one of my _flannels_ you got your snot all over… _Then_ we'd have a problem."

Jemma's face flushes in embarrassment and she whips her head up towards Fitz. She's is about to apologize again when she notes the teasing grin on his face and rolls her eyes as she nudges him with her shoulder. He chuckles softly under her breath and it's somewhat infectious because Jemma finds herself joining in after a few moments. She runs her hands over her face in exhaustion and takes a deep breath before exhaling sharply at the memory of dinner. The memory causes her laughter to putter out and she fiddles with her hands in her lap as she struggles to maintain her composure and not break down on Fitz again.

After a few moments of silence Jemma hesitantly turns to the boy next to her. "Fitz?"

He tilts his head down and raises an eyebrow at the expression on her face. "Yeah?"

Jemma takes another deep breath before letting a small smile cross her face in an attempt to mask her nerves. "Is it bad that I want to slap him?"

Fitz chuckles at this and shakes his head vehemently as he says, "Not at all, I would say it's completely logical given you know, everything."

Jemma pauses at this before her expression turns inquisitive and she stares at him curiously. "Would _you_ do it?"

Fitz's eyebrows furrow in confusion as he glances down at her in puzzlement and shifts slightly on the curb. "What?"

Jemma turns her body to face him more fully and, it's not until she moves that she realizes that Fitz's arm is still loosely wrapped around her. The realization causes her mind to go blank for a moment, but the butterflies that erupt in her stomach aren't enough to make her completely forget what it is she's asking him. "Would _you_ slap Trip?"

Fitz pauses for a moment and tilts his head as he processes her question. He's silent for a long moment and Jemma can almost _see_ the cogs in his head as they work over the question and he contemplates his answer. After a few seconds he turns to her and bashfully shrugs. "I… umm... I don't know. Probably not but if… if _you_ wanted me to… I suppose I might consider it."

Despite the lack of light she can see his cheeks turn an odd shade of pink and Jemma wonders if Fitz can count on one hand the number of times he's confessed to not knowing the answer to a question. She examines him for a long moment and notes how close he actually is to her. The night had turned chilly awhile ago but Jemma feels herself surrounded by a warmth that likely has to do with Fitz's proximity and the blood that is thrumming through her body.

He's looking at her nervously and Jemma is once again struck by how much time they've wasted _pretending_ to hate each other. How much time _she's_ spent pretending to hate _Fitz._

Fitz who's staring at her now as though she's the only light in the darkness that has been this night. Jemma realizes that her face must display a similar expression because, the fact of the matter is, Fitz _has_ beenthe one, good, consistent thing from this night. The realization causes Jemma to determinedly come to the conclusion that she doesn't want to waste another second where Fitz is concerned.

She doesn't want to argue, she doesn't want to avoid him, and she doesn't want to spend another moment hiding the fact that she finds him to be the most interesting person she's ever come across.

Jemma acts without thinking, not letting any doubt or uncertainty creep its way into her mind, and leans forward, moving her hands to rest on Fitz's cheeks as she crashes her lips into his.

She feels the way his entire body seems to still and is about to pull back with an apology when his arms tighten around her as he shifts his body to kiss her at a better angle. The movement causes his hands to fall to her waist and she makes no effort to stop him from tugging her closer to him. She nips at his lips and wants to laugh at the sound he makes in response, but loses all thoughts of teasing him when he does the same thing to her and leaves her breathless. Her fingers have somehow moved to his hair and she eagerly tugs at the short strands as their tongues duel as much as they have over the past few years.

Jemma finds that she much prefers this battle to the ones they normally seem to find themselves in.

When the need for oxygen becomes too strong to ignore, Jemma pulls away and lets her eyes flutter open, resting her forehead against Fitz's as she takes in as much detail as she can. Fitz's eyes are a bit slower as he sluggishly blinks them open before staring at her in wonder as he registers what exactly just transpired between them.

Jemma is sure that she seems just as awestruck as him when she leans back slightly to get a better look at him. She wants to catalog everything about him and this moment and attempts to regain control of her breathing as she does. Not two minutes ago her erratic breaths were cause by tears, _now_ they're the result of a kiss with the boy she's like for ages and seems to like even more with each passing second. She peers fondly at the boy in front of her before pausing to smile softly and quirk an eyebrow at a seemingly paralyzed Fitz.

"What the hell just happened?"

Fitz's mouth is still agape, eyes wide and cheeks a brilliant shade of red. He opens and closes his mouth a few times as though his brain still hasn't quite caught up with his body. Finally he coughs once, blinking a few times as he shakes his head to bring himself back into the present.

"Umm… well you kissed me and then… and then…"

 _He's so cute when he's flustered._

Jemma laughs at his babbling and shifts her hands to twine them through his. "Not that. I know _that_." She smiles fondly at him as she rolls her eyes teasingly before continuing. "It's just…" She pauses, opens her mouth to speak before shaking her head with a sigh and glancing pointedly in the direction of the restaurant.

Fitz follows her gaze and tightens his grasp on her hands when he realizes what exactly it is that she's really asking. He sighs much as she had a few moments before and looks back at her somewhat somberly. "I have no idea what the hell just happened. That was complete and utter trainwreck. But…"

He pauses briefly and Jemma notices the uncertain look that crosses over his face. She scoots closer to him on the curb and shifts slightly, leaning against him and moving an arm around his waist while tugging his own arm around her shoulder. "But what?"

Fitz doesn't hesitate to wrap himself around her, moving so that she's comfortably tucked against him before taking his free hand weaving his fingers through Jemma's. She smiles at the ease at which they move together and outright grins as she takes stock of how they've done a complete 180 since even a few hours ago. She's about to comment on it when Fitz speaks up again and reminds her of their actual topic of conversation.

"But Hunter has a theory…"

Jemma pulls back at this to glance at him in surprise. She can feel the way his fingers are almost nervously tapping at her shoulder and she levels him with a look that clearly says: _speak._

He nods his head at the silent command and launches into an explanation of what information he'd come across. As Fitz explains Hunter's theory, Jemma feels her expression shift from one of confusion, to comprehension, and finally to anger. All the pieces are falling together and she struggles for breath again, not because of tears or a heart-stopping kiss, but because she can't seem to find the words to articulate everything that is now clicking into place in her mind.

"...so he and Hunter are gonna talk to Fury and... what? What is it?"

Fitz stops his rambling when he notices how her mouth keeps opening and closing and looks pensively at her as he waits for her to actually speak.

She's staring at their joined hands and finally shakes her head in disbelief before looking up at Fitz with wide eyes. "It all makes sense."

Fitz nods at her before glancing down at his watch and sighing as he notes the time. Much to her disappointment he proceeds to extract himself from her grasp and hoists himself up until he's standing in front of her. He holds his hands down and Jemma doesn't hesitate to grasp one in each of hers and allow him to pull her up next to him. She moves to let go but Fitz only releases one of her hands, squeezing the other and entwining their fingers together as he tugs her in the direction of her house.

They're silent for a few blocks, simply lost in their own minds and enjoying the fact that they can do so with each other, until Jemma feels Fitz's grip tighten and hears his determined statement.

"We need to fix this."

Jemma sighs in defeat at this because, as much as she wants to agree with him, she's spent the past few minutes of silence trying to figure out what to do and has come up empty. "I don't know _how_ Fitz. I mean… Obviously I can tell Trip about how I was _there_ when Coulson asked Skye to fill in for Raina but… I'm not sure he'll actually _believe_ me. He'll probably just think I'm trying to cover for her."

Fitz nods his head contemplatively and the two of them are once again immersed in silence. They don't speak for the rest of the ten-minute walk to her house, merely squeezing each other's hands in silent reassurance, and Jemma finds herself both exhausted and disappointed by the time they make it to her front door.

Jemma slowly untangles her fingers from Fitz's and wearily runs hers hands over her face. The next thing she knows she finds herself surrounded by Fitz as he engulfs her in a hug that she melts into. She wraps her arms around his waist as his loop around her shoulders, pulling her closer and allowing her to burrow her face in his neck. She exhales shakily against his neck, smiling softly as she notes the goose bumps that erupt across his skin, and simply allows herself to revel in the feeling of being held.

She feels him drop a chaste kiss to her temple and decides that it won't suffice, so she pulls back and leans up, kissing Fitz softly on the lips as her hands move to grip the fabric over his chest. The kiss softer than the first one they shared off-stage, less hurried and pent-up, and Jemma feels her heart thud against her chest as she thinks about how she could get used to ending her nights like this.

With Fitz walking her home, kissing her tenderly, and making her forget about all of her problems, if only for a moment.

She pulls back with a small smile that widens at the look of reverence on Fitz's face. He's looking down at her with the blue eyes that she's secretly always been quite fond of and Jemma can't stop herself from leaning up again to place scattered kisses across his jaw.

He's smiling broadly when she pulls back and swoops in to give her another lingering kiss before whispering, "Goodnight," against her lips.

Jemma's blushing slightly when she moves to get her key and bites her lip when she feels Fitz's hand squeeze her arm before he turns to walk away. She shifts her head slightly to watch him go and feels a panging of longing at the sight. She doesn't want the night to end because she knows that, come morning when she wakes up, all of the problems of the day will come rearing back into her life.

She and Fitz will likely be back in some muddled grey area considering they hadn't actually had any real discussion about what it is they are now.

Raina and Ward will still be conniving jerks getting away with ruining the play _and_ her friends' relationship.

And Trip and Skye will still be on the outs, neither willing to talk or listen to the other.

"Hey Jemma?"

She's torn from her musings by the sound of Fitz's voice. Jemma quickly turns around to face him and feels her breath catch at the sight of him standing a few feet away with his hands in his pockets and a determined look on his face. His expression softens slightly when they make eye contact and Fitz gives her a small smile that seems to warm her to her core. He's silent for a few moments, likely just enjoying watching her as much as she's enjoying watching him, but then Fitz straightens his shoulders and opens his mouth to speak.

"You shouldn't worry about it."

She looks at him inquisitively as she briefly wonders whether or not he could read her mind. "Worry about what?"

Fitz shrugs his shoulders at her. "Any of it."

Jemma's brows furrow as she takes in his words because they'd _just_ discussed how worried they both were about everything that had transpired. "Why not?"

He smiles as he shrugs again and looks at her with an emotion that makes her heart quicken. "Because we're gonna fix this. Together."

He says it with complete conviction and that more than anything puts Jemma at ease. Because hearing the words makes her realize that Fitz is likely right.

 _Combined we're twice as smart._

Everyone seemed to pick up on the fact before she had, but now that Jemma is aware of the truth behind the assumption, she knows without a shadow of a doubt that, if Fitz thinks they can fix things, they will. He seems to realize that she believes him because Fitz shoots her one last smile, pairing it with a small wave, before turning around and walking in the direction of his own home.

Jemma watches until he disappears around a corner and then turns back to walk into her house with a grin on her face and a reddening blush on her cheeks.

 _ **2 DAYS UNTIL OPENING NIGHT…**_

It's the Wednesday after the fiasco of a cast dinner and Hunter is watching as Bobbi nervously paces outside of Headmaster Fury's office. They'd tried to book an appointment with him earlier in the week but Fury is a busy man and couldn't fit them in until today. So now Hunter is sitting in the waiting room as Bobbi moves around and anxiously bites her fingernails.

She stops pacing immediately when the door to the headmaster's office opens and they see Fury standing in the doorway. He beckons them forward with a twitch of his finger and proceeds to turn around and walk back into his office, leaving Bobbi and Hunter gaping after him. They exchange a look before hastily following him and are shocked when they see Assistant Headmistress Hill standing behind Fury from where he's seated at his desk.

Her lips twitch in what Hunter _thinks_ is supposed to be a smile and she gestures for them to sit in the vacant chairs across from Fury. They do so immediately and remain silent as they wait for Fury to speak. The silence grows, lasting for a few short minutes, before Fury raises an eyebrow and looks between them. "Well I don't have all day. Are you kids going to start talking or what? Very few students _want_ to come see me in my office… so I'm curious as to what brought you here."

The man leans back in his chair and crosses his arms as he eyes them speculatively. Hunter and Bobbi share a look before turning to look at Fury and launching into their story. They start from the beginning, discussing how Ward hadn't even tried out for the play because he was recommended to Coulson by Garrett, how Raina had seemingly appeared out of nowhere to land her role, and how the two students had been acting suspiciously throughout the duration of pre-production.

Fury listens intently, face impassive, but Hill seems to scoff slightly when Bobbi pauses. "So you've scheduled an appointment with the headmaster to complain about two students getting secondary roles in a play in which you two are playing the leads?"

"What? No! We're not finished yet."

Hill raises an eyebrow at Bobbi's tone, making the girl blink quickly and lean slightly back in her chair. Fury remains silent and simply nods his head as he motions for Hunter and Bobbi to continue. Hill's eyebrows are still raised in warning at the students but she takes a step back and Hunter takes this as an indication that he should continue.

He repeats what he and Bobbi had overheard Ward and Raina discussing in the hallway and Bobbi cuts in to tell the portion of the story where Skye had evidently been set up by the other two. She mentions that Raina's absence forced Skye to be her stand-in, which in turn caused Trip to witness her kiss with Ward. The retelling of the cast dinner comes next and Bobbi and Hunter try to provide as much detail as they can so that the adults in the room have enough information to understand what they are trying to imply.

When they finally finish Bobbi and Hunter look between Fury and Hill, waiting with baited breath for one of the adults to speak. Bobbi rolls her eyes slightly when it's once again Hill who decides to break the silence. "So you've _actually_ come here to discuss your peers' love triangle. You've taken time out of my and Headmaster Fury's schedules to what? Ask us to reprimand Mr. Ward and Ms. Flowers for causing a rift in the school's cutest couple?"

"Well _technically_ we didn't want to talk to you… So you can't really blame _us_ for taking time out of _your_ schedule…" Bobbi elbows Hunter in the side when he finishes speaking and shoots him a glare. Hill shoots him a similar look but Hunter notices the way that Fury's mouth briefly twitches up.

Bobbi turns her gaze back to the adults and plasters a polite smile onto her face. "We wouldn't come to you over something so petty. We _came_ to you because, based on what we overheard and the subsequent events that followed, we feel that Raina, Ward, and possibly even Garrett, are involved in some sort of scheme to ruin the play."

Bobbi winces slightly at the delivery, and how absurd the words sound when said out loud, but then straightens and stares defiantly at the adults in front of her. Hill's eyes widen for a moment before narrowing as she takes a step back to lean against the wall behind her. Fury on the other hand leans forward and presses down on the intercom attached to the office outside. "Ms. Foster, would you be so kind as to send Raina into my office."

Bobbi and Hunter turn to each other in shock and quickly turn their heads when they hear the door behind them creak open.

Raina walks in with a smug smile on her face as she makes her way to the lone empty seat on the other side of Bobbi. She sits down delicately and Bobbi shifts slightly in her own seat so that she's pressed against the arm furthest from Raina. Bobbi crosses her arms in irritation and glares at the other girl who puts on a mask of feigned confusion.

"Is something wrong Headmaster?" Raina looks at Fury with an inquisitive expression that Bobbi wants to punch off her smug face.

Fury leans forward in his chair and laces his fingers together before placing his hands on his desk. He levels Raina with a calm and raises an eyebrow at her impassive expression. "Yes there is Miss Flowers. Mister Hunter and Miss Morse were just telling me about some pretty terrible things that have been happening behind the scenes of this semester's drama production."

"Are you referring to the rather dramatic love triangle between Skye, Trip, and Ward? Yes, it's a shame that they're all behaving so unprofessionally." Raina clucks at the end of the statement and shakes her head in simulated disappointment.

Fury tilts his head and glances between the glaring Bobbi and Hunter before returning his gaze to Raina. "Actually, I'm referring to the your and Ward's little conspiracy to manipulate your peers in an attempt to sabotage the play."

Raina's eyes widen in surprise and her hand quickly moves to her chest as she stares at Fury in bewilderment. "Headmaster Fury, I don't know what lies Hunter and Bobbi have been spreading, but I can _assure_ you that…"

Hill cuts her off before the girl can finish her sentence and motions for her to stop talking. "Ward already confessed to everything and made it very clear that _you_ were the one behind all of the incidents surrounding the play."

Raina's eyes narrow infinitesimally for a fraction of a second before her expression of denial is back in place. "Sir, I truly don't know what you're talking ab…"

It's Fury who cuts her off this time as he leans forward and speaks over her. "He showed us the texts Raina. I'm well aware of all of the scheming the two of you have done. This isn't me asking you to give me information that I already know, this is me asking if there's anything you might like to add or refute."

Raina looks between Fury and Hill for a few moments before straightening in her seat and shaking her head with a raised eyebrow of challenge.

The room is silent for a few moments before Fury sighs in disappointment and reaches for a pen.

"Well then… Since we have proof that you were involved in an attempt to sabotage the play… You're liable for to lose your SHIELD scholarship Miss Flowers."

Raina straightens up at this and, for the first time since walking into the office, she looks truly nervous. "What? But… But you can't do that!"

Fury glances up from where he'd begun writing on paper containing the official SHIELD watermark and levels Raina with a stern look. "I _absolutely_ can do that. You signed a student code of conduct when you became a scholarship student at SHIELD and we now have evidence that you _broke_ said code of conduct."

Fury places his pen down and leans over his desk to frown at Raina. "It was explicitly stated that doing something against SHIELD policy could warrant the immediate removal of your scholarship. Ward has already provided us with the evidence so… unless you have anything to add, we'll immediately schedule you for a disciplinary hearing with the school board."

Raina pales at this and she begins to frantically gesticulate. "It wasn't _my_ idea! Professor Garrett _made_ me and Ward do it! He said he'd fail me in his class if I didn't help him ruin the play." Her voice is laced with a desperation that causes everyone else in the room to raise their eyebrows in surprise.

Hill takes a step forward, getting Raina's attention, and asks the question that all parties are thinking. "And did he say _why_ he wanted you to ruin the play?"

Raina shakes her head emphatically at this and looks as though she's holding back tears. "Not directly, no, but I did overhear him speaking on the phone. He mentioned something about getting rid of Coulson so that he'd be the one up for the faculty promotion. He said that another abysmally reviewed play would be enough to make Coulson give up and quit teaching, figured that if this one got ruined, Director Coulson would just leave SHIELD completely."

Fury and Hill share a glance at this and Bobbi sees Hunter's mouth drop open in her peripheral vision. After finishing their silent conversation, Fury and Hill face forward and share stern looks that they send Raina's way. After a few moments Fury leans forward again and begins to speak very deliberately.

"Miss Flowers, your actions, despite being heavily influenced by an authority figure, are inexcusable and will not be tolerated at SHIELD. You will receive a week of in-school detention. You will be present every night of the school play, you will deliver your lines with enthusiasm and take your performance seriously. If you miss any of the productions, or intentionally attempt to sabotage them, you will be expelled immediately. Is that understood?"

Raina nods her head slowly and Bobbi notices the unshed tears in the other girl's eyes. Whether they're tears of appreciation or upset remains to be seen.

Fury continues speaking after the other girl's nod of understanding. "Good. _Additionally_ you will write a letter of apology to Director Coulson for the part you played in the attempt to sabotage him and the play. And, though I can't force you to do it, I recommend writing a similar letter to the peers whose lives you decided to toy with. Do I make myself clear?"

Raina nods again and sniffles once. Fury motions with his hand and Hill immediately steps forward, beckoning for Raina to follow her out of the Fury's office and into hers. The two leave and then it's only Hunter and Bobbi left with the Headmaster. Fury looks between them for a moment before opening his mouth.

"I appreciate you two coming in to tell me about what you'd overheard. Coulson already informed me that you had approached him and put Raina and Ward on out radars. At the time there wasn't any evidence, but the girl's confession just put everything in perspective for us. You two are good kids, diligent. It takes guts to come forward and I'm glad to see that there are actually people at SHIELD who are still willing to do the right thing."

The man nods appreciatively at them before opening a document and beginning to read it with utmost focus. Bobbi and Hunter turn to each other with open mouths and shrug simultaneously, taking Fury's words as a dismissal. They slowly stand up with a mumbled, "Thank you sir," and head for the door. Hunter leaves first but, as Bobbi moves to follow and leave the room, she pauses at the doorway and turns around.

"Sir?"

Fury looks up from the document he'd begun reading and raises an eyebrow at Bobbi in question.

"How did you get Ward to show you those texts?"

Fury chuckles slightly at this and gives Bobbi a mischievous grin. "Ward did no such thing. I decided to take you and Hunter at your word and see if I could use the information you provided to bluff Miss Flowers into confessing."

Bobbi's mouth drops open at this and she stares at Fury in shock. "But… But how did you know about the texts?"

"It's not hard to guess that teenagers are texting. It's all you kids seem to do these days." Fury smiles again before turning back to his papers. "Shut the door behind you Miss Morse."

Bobbi nods her head in stunned silence and exits the office, closing the door gently behind her, before letting a huge grin cross her face. She spots Hunter leaning against the wall and shoots him a wink as he gives her a thumbs up.

 **Much Ado About SHIELD: Act V**

 _ **1 DAY UNTIL OPENING NIGHT…**_

Fitz is trying and failing not to stare at Jemma across the classroom as Trip hovers next to him, _successfully_ notlooking at Skye. Every few moments Jemma tucks her hair behind her ear and Fitz is beginning to wonder if she's doing it because she knows he's watching and is _trying_ to distract him from his own lab work.

They'd long since viewed their shared BioTech class as a means to compete with each other to see who could finish their labs first and, for the first time since their silent competition had begun so many years ago, Fitz finds that he is trailing _way_ behind his opponent.

He shakes his head slightly to snap himself out of his reverie and rips his gaze away from where Jemma is now gathering her hair and tying it up into a ponytail that leaves the flesh of her neck completely exposed. Fitz swallows at the brief sight and blinks somewhat sluggishly as he tries to refocus on the task ahead of him.

 _Tasks_ if he's being more specific.

The first being this damn lab, the second being wheedling information out of his lab partner. Fitz casts a cursory look at Trip, who is resolutely refusing to look at anything other than the assignment they'd been handed at the start of class. The other boy has remained pretty silent since the cast dinner, skipping class on Monday and Tuesday, and barely interacting with anyone other than when absolutely necessary.

Fitz, Hunter, and Mack have all made an effort to get the other boy to listen to them but the second Skye is mentioned, Trip simply levels them with a glare and walks away. It's been a frustrating few days to say the least and, after the last failed attempt, the three boys had decided to simply let Trip cool down before broaching the subject again.

Fitz coughs slightly and glances back up in Jemma's direction. She's staring at him and the moment they make eye contact she widens her eyes and surreptitiously motions with her hands while nodding her head towards Trip.

He sighs slightly, thinking of the agreement he'd made with Mack and Hunter to fall back on trying to talk to Trip, before deciding that it couldn't hurt to at least _try_ to use this opportunity to get his lab partner to hear him out.

-O-

It takes everything Jemma has not to smirk at the frequent looks that Fitz is sending her way. They hadn't really gotten the chance to talk since he'd dropped her at her door Sunday night and she's reveling in the opportunity to observe him now. Fitz has been at Trip's side while she's been at Skye's and the distraction of both school and the play had left little time to actually have any sort of substantial interaction.

The looming threat of midterms had caused their professors to send the students into a chaotic frenzy, spending every moment of the school hours focused on work and studying. That combined with the approaching opening night of the play has caused no time to do anything other than rehearse and study. Coulson had decided to focus on working different scenes each day in the rehearsals leading up to opening night and, unfortunately, none of the scenes that were considered in need of extra work included both Hero and Claudio together.

Meaning that Fitz and Jemma had only _really_ had the opportunity to be in each other's vicinity during their shared classes, most of which had them seated so far apart from their days as enemies that it was next to impossible to communicate with anything other than furtive glances.

Something that Jemma is taking full advantage of now.

She can see Fitz's ears reddening each time he glances in her direction and she decides to have a bit of fun with his lingering gazes. She spends much of the class period doing everything she can to subtly draw his attention to her face, chewing on her pen before switching up her tactics and tucking her hair behind her ears as frequently as she can without being obvious.

With ten minutes left in the class period Jemma sees Fitz shift again, a clear tell that he's about to glance her way, and she hastily gathers her hair, twisting it a bit before tying it up and letting her fingers graze her neck on their way back down towards the lab experiment. She chuckles slightly under her breath when she sees Fitz's head snap down towards his own lab and has to quickly disguise it as a cough when Skye glances over at her with a questioning look.

Thankfully her friend seems to find the sound believable because Jemma only has to wait another second before Skye is turning back towards their assignment. Jemma feels a bit bad about the fact that she hasn't exactly met her usual standard with this lab, but she figures that Skye is reveling in the distraction of this assignment just as much as _she_ is enjoying the distraction of Fitz.

She's spent much of the past few days replaying Sunday night in her mind, actively avoiding the negatives and instead focusing on every exchange she'd shared with Fitz. Thinking of their shared kisses causes a slight blush to erupt on Jemma's face and she decides to quit teasing Fitz and just look at him the way he'd been less than subtly looking at her during the class period.

She glances up and watches him in his element, hunched over his lab report and tapping his pen against the countertop while glancing over at Trip every few seconds. Fitz's clear discomfort with the other boy causes Jemma's eyes to narrow slightly as she's reminded once again of the _bad_ things that had gone down Sunday evening. She waits for Fitz to inevitably glance back in her direction and, when he does, Jemma nods towards Trip and gesticulates slightly to get Fitz to work on the other boy.

The movement causes Skye to turn away from where she'd been studying their lab report and Jemma quickly alters her motions into an awkward little wave. Skye's eyebrows furrow slightly for a moment before she looks towards where Jemma's hand is facing and straightens slightly as Fitz blushes and quickly turns away.

Skye chuckles at the sight and nudges Jemma with a grin that causes her to duck her head in embarrassment. She can't quite keep the smile off her face though and she waits for Skye to take advantage of her obvious cross-classroom flirting with Fitz. Jemma's a bit surprised when all she receives is a soft pat on the back and looks up to where Skye has returned her focus to their lab report. It's silent for a few moments and Jemma _assumes_ that Skye has decided not to tease her about the change in her relationship.

Jemma grabs her pen and focuses down at the lab and glances up in surprise when, a few minutes later, Skye speaks up without taking her eyes off of the paper in front of her.

"For what it's worth… I'm happy for you. Me and everyone else at this damn school have been waiting for you two to get your act together for ages. Glad to see you finally have."

Jemma ducks her head again with a small smile and moves to tuck her hair behind her ear before remembering that it's in a ponytail that isn't conducive for her nervous habit. She's not yet willing to vocalize whatever she and Fitz have or haven't done, so she decides to instead feign confusion.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Right. Apparently this is the _only_ thing Jemma Simmons doesn't know. Figures." Skye shakes her head slightly and scoffs at Jemma's rather pathetic attempt at denying what is apparently obvious.

Jemma looks at her friend for a moment before leaning in and wrapping her in a side hug. "Thanks Skye."

-O-

Fitz chances another glance at Jemma before working up the courage to speak to Trip and does a double take when he sees her hugging Skye. The sight causes something to flare in his chest and makes him that much more determined to set things right where Trip is concerned.

He turns to the boy beside him and decides to forego being casual and instead get to the point. "Are you ever going to let me talk to you about Skye?"

Trip stiffens the moment the words leave his mouth and Fitz shifts over slightly in case the other boy decides to hit him. Instead he just shoots him a glare that would _normally_ be enough to make Fitz drop the subject. But today he's intent on fixing the mess that everyone seems to have landed in so he stands his ground and pushes forward. "Because one of these days you're going to realize that you can't avoid her, or the _topic_ of her, forever."

Trip shoots him another glare before leaning down slightly and muttering, "You wanna bet?"

Fitz scoffs at Trip's bluff and grabs his pencil in irritation as he quickly jots down the answers to the lab while replying to his friend. " _Yeah_ actually. I'll take that bet. Because, in case you've forgotten, you and Skye go to the same school, are in the same classes, have the same friends, and are working _together_ on the same play."

Trip stiffens again before crossing his arms and leaning against the counter with a scowl. "Not for long."

Fitz's head snaps up at this and his eyes narrow as he tries to process what it is that Trip is implying. "What the hell does _that_ mean?"

Trip turns to face him again and Fitz can see that the boy is getting increasingly heated. "It _means_ that I'm quitting the play. I'm not going through with it. I've already written a letter and plan on dropping it in May's mailbox the minute the bell rings. So, _Fitz_ , looks like you shouldn't have made that bet after all."

Fitz's mouth drops open in surprise at this and his eyes widen in shock as he realizes that his friend is being completely serious. "Trip… Trip you can't just _quit._ Opening night is tomorrow!"

"I can do whatever the hell I want Fitz. And I _want_ to stay as far away from Skye and that damn play as possible."

Fitz opens his mouth to argue again but the school bell cuts him off before he can get another word out. The moment the bell rings Trip snatches his backpack from the counter and storms out of the room, leaving Fitz staring at him in dismay. He turns around and spots both Jemma and Skye looking at the door that Trip just bolted through and, when Jemma shifts her gaze to him, Fitz gives her a helpless looks that conveys how little progress he'd made.

She gives him a grim look in response and he watches as she sighs when Skye grabs her hand and tugs her towards the exit. When the girls brush past him, Jemma quickly reaches for the hand resting on the counter and squeezes it tightly before continuing forward and letting Skye pull her out the door.

 _ **DAY OF FIRST PERFORMANCE…**_

The next day has Antoine Triplett nervously tapping his feet as he sits in the waiting room outside of the Headmaster's office. He tries to wrack his brain to figure out if he's done anything particularly good _or_ bad to land himself in a meeting with Fury but, other than his personal tiff with Skye, he can't think of a single thing that would warrant a trip to the Headmaster's during class.

He fidgets slightly in his seat before sighing and leaning back as he realizes that he likely won't have any idea why he's here until Fury explicitly tells him. After staring at the clock on the wall for a few minutes, the door to the waiting room opens and Trip snaps his head over to where Assistant Director May is now walking into the room. She gives Trip a nod before motioning for him to get up and follow her into the Headmaster's office. Trip feels his nerves multiply at the sight of May and thinks about the hastily written letter he'd left in her mailbox yesterday after school.

He'd used very few words to succinctly tell her that he wasn't interested in continuing with the play, no longer comfortable playing his designated role and working with certain members of the cast and crew. He'd felt a weight consume him the second he'd dropped it in the metal box outside of May's office, but had grown more certain of his decision when he'd thought about having to see Ward and Skye make googly eyes at each other.

Trip gives May a dejected look when she looks up from her notebook, and is somewhat relieved when the woman just brushes off his concerns with a wave of her hand. The gesture is paired with what Trip _thinks_ is an understanding, albeit incredibly _minute,_ smile and Trip swallows down his nerves, feeling slightly better at the fact that, whatever reason he's here, he at least has an ally in May. He follows the woman into Fury's office and immediately takes a seat when both adults simultaneously point towards the chair.

May takes a seat beside him as the Headmaster leans over his desk and levels Trip with a look that makes the boy want to turn around and flee the room. It's silent for a few moments and Trip is just about to open his mouth to ask why he's been called in when Fury raises a hand and cuts him off before he can even start. "May tells me you no longer want to be a part of _Much Ado About Nothing._ Is that true?"

Trip swallows audibly and nods his head at Fury. This causes the man across from him to narrow his eye before leaning back in his seat. "And what makes you think it's okay to quit a play when opening night is _tonight?_ How is the play supposed to happen when one of the lead cast members has decided to up and leave? Who's supposed to fill in for you? What is Vic supposed to do about the costumes that have been tailored to specifically fit _your_ body? Did you think about any of this before dropping that letter in May's mailbox?"

Trip feels himself sinking lower and lower in his seat with each word that Fury says and is overcome with a bout of guilt. Because, the truth is, he really _hadn't_ given it much thought when he'd dropped off his letter. He knew that there would likely be difficulties, _especially_ considering the fact that the first show is tonight, but he'd kind of just assumed that everything would fall into place; some understudy or crew member who knew all of the lines and cues would swoop in and be the Don Pedro that he no longer thinks he can pull off.

Evidently he'd been naïve to think that the stars would align and everything would go smoothly because there are way more factors that Trip hadn't even _considered_ before quitting. He sighs as he runs his hands over his head and realizes, with a bit of embarrassment, how much he'd mess up if he really did drop out of the play.

Still… there's no way he can actually go through with it considering who else will be there, so Trip straightens up in his seat before glancing between May and Fury in determination.

"Listen… I realize how much of a bind I'm putting you in but… Sir, with all due respect, I think the play will actually be _worse_ if you make me do it. I realize how pathetic it seems, but there's just no way that I'll be able to focus with Ward and Skye aroun…"

"You don't have to worry about that Trip." May cuts him off before he can finish his sentence and Trip suddenly feels a wariness seem to permeate its way through him. He pauses for a moment as he takes in the somewhat grim expression on May's face before leaning forward in his seat.

"What… What do you mean?"

"Skye quit."

May is looking down at her notebook, not conveying any real sort of emotion, but Trip notes the way that the Assistant Director's hand seems to grip her pen more tightly. It takes Trip a few moments to process the woman's words and, when they finally seem to click in his brain, his mouth drops open in surprise.

"What?!"

May sighs at this before placing her pen down and moving her fingers to rub at her temples. "She came to me and Coulson the other day, said she didn't feel comfortable working on the play any more. Dropped out as stage manager."

Trip doesn't know what to say to this because, while a part of him is grateful that he won't have to see Skye for the remainder of the production, an even larger part seems to break in half at the realization that she seems just as disinterested in seeing _him._

"Oh…"

"So there's no need to worry. Skye's out and both Ward and Raina have already been reprimanded for their actions. They'll be on their best behavior."

Trip nods along to May's words before snapping his head up in confusion at the last portion of his sentence.

"Wait, _what_? What actions? What does _Raina_ have to do with anything?"

May glances warily at Fury before returning her gaze towards Trip. "That's not something you need to know about. What _I_ need to know that you'll be in the auditorium tonight and ready to put on the best show of your life."

Trip contemplates the pros and cons for a moment before sighing and nodding in acquiescence to May's demand. A part of him is relieved to know that he won't be bailing on his commitment, but an even larger part of him feels a building anxiety.

May shifts her body a bit and turns to face Trip fully with a serious expression on her face. "I also need you to promise me that, other than however you choose to approach your situation with Skye, you will _not_ confront anyone else or make a scene with Ward."

Trip looks at her for a moment before shrugging his shoulders in consent. "Yeah, sure. I'll stay away from Ward so long as he stays away from me."

May nods her head once in approval before Fury claps his hands. "Alright then. Trip, back to class. May… stick around for a bit. There's still the other matter that we need to discuss."

Trip looks between them for a moment as Fury's statement catches his interest but he can tell that neither of the adults will say a word about the mysterious, "other matter," while he's still in the room. He grabs his backpack of the floor with a small sigh and exits the Fury's office, closing the door gently as May leans forward and begins to speak animatedly in a hushed tone that Trip can't make out.

As he walks through the waiting room towards the hallway, Trip jumps in surprise when Professors Odinson and Rogers escort Garrett towards Fury's office. The two hulking figures are like brick walls next to the older man and Garrett is fuming as he yanks his arms away from the men who are guiding him towards the very room that Trip had just left. He turns around to watch the trio walk into Fury's office and drops his mouth open when the usually cheerful Odinson slams the door behind them.

Trip strains his ear for a few moments to see what _that_ display had been about but can't quite piece together what it is he's hearing.

 _Something about a plot to get Coulson out of the way?_

He's about to move closer towards Fury's office but jumps when he hears a stern cough come from behind him. He turns around to see Ms. Foster giving him a warning look and Trip gives her a sheepish smile in return. He throws a small wave in her direction before scurrying out the door and putting as much distance as he can between himself and Fury's somewhat terrifying secretary.

He walks slowly down the hallway towards one of the few classes that he actually shares with Skye.

Not that it really matters considering she hadn't shown up to school today…

 _ **OPENING NIGHT- DRESSING ROOMS…**_

"Skye! Dammit where the hell are you?!"

Jemma's call bounces off of the dark brown walls of her dressing room as she grunts under her breath and paces in the confined space.

Great lot of help Skye's been today. Granted she had been put through a lot of shit lately, but she'd still promised to help Jemma get ready for opening night. It's Skye's fault that Jemma is even in this play in the first place, meaning it's her duty as best friend to deal with Jemma's nerves and _help_ _do up these damn buttons_.

"Skye?!"

Fed up with her missing friend, Jemma throws open the door to the dressing room and sticks her head and shoulders out into the hallway in search of Skye. Her arms are up around her breasts, supporting the weight of her dress and making sure that the fabric doesn't fall lower than where it's intended to.

Instead of her best friend, Jemma finds herself face to face with a surprisingly muscular chest and a pair of strong and familiar arms. Said arms proceed to catch her as she stumbles forward from the impact, and hold her up until she regains her footing.

"Well hello there." Fitz grins down at her and Jemma feels the flush begin to bloom across her cheeks.

"Umm… hi!"

Fitz releases his grip on her shoulders but she doesn't make any move to distance herself from him as he stares quizzically down the hallway. "Skye run off again?"

"Yeah, likely dodging Trip or gathering Bobbi and Hunter from a supply closet somewhere." Jemma shrugs and rolls her eyes at their co-stars' idiocy. The couple had been caught in a closet multiple times at this point and it had quickly become the first place to look when either seemed to go missing. "Honestly, those two can't seem to keep their hands off each other."

Her attention drifts back to Fitz when he doesn't answer her right away and she is suddenly aware of the goose bumps that are beginning to cover her skin. Noticing the way that his gaze has drifted to the flesh at her clavicle that had been exposed during her shrug, Jemma becomes acutely aware of the minimal amount of clothing that she's currently wearing.

"Yeah," he mutters quietly, "So immature."

Fitz's gaze flicks back up from her chest to meet her eyes again before he breaks their stare and begins fiddling with his hands. His large, _delicate_ hands with dexterous and _precise_ fingers. Suddenly Jemma knows _exactly_ what she wants those hands to do and can't fathom why she hadn't thought of it before.

"Fitz?" Her voice comes out lower than she'd expected it to and her eyes are drawn to the way that Fitz licks his lips at the sound.

"Hmmm?" Fitz's eyes are focused on her own and she grins as his gaze flickers to her mouth as she begins to talk.

"Could you do me up please?"

Fitz shakes his head in confusion at her words. "Huh?"

"The dress... could you help me with my dress? Ms. Hand doesn't exactly make the most Jemma-friendly costumes." She gestures towards the fabric and has to stifle a laugh as Fitz seems to physically snap out of his reverie.

"Oh yeah, right, of course."

Turning so her back is facing him she sweeps her hair over her shoulder and whispers a soft, "Thank you," just loud enough for Fitz to hear.

He responds immediately, speaking just as softly as she had. "No problem Jemma."

Even though she'd asked him to help her, she inhales sharply a little at the brush of his cold fingertips across her bare back. "You okay?" He asks as if he was afraid he'd hurt her.

She responds brightly but winces slightly at the way her voice catches in her throat. "Yep!"

 _Nope._

How could she be when she knows that his fingers are so close to her bare skin, working their way down her back, and occasionally brushing against her sensitive flesh. Each time he exhales she can feel the hairs on the back of her head stand up straight and the confidence of his movements makes her wonder whether he could reverse his actions and _remove_ her dress just as efficiently; if such minute motions and precise ministrations could be replicated elsewhere if she asked him to.

Jemma almost wants to.

Ask him that is.

She's tempted to just invite him into her dressing room and work away at the buttons on his crisp white shirt. She'd completely disregard the fact that it must have taken _ages_ to get the shirt on in the first place and instead focus on how quickly she could remove it.

She thinks back to his question, _you okay,_ and her real answer is still the same. No, she's not _okay._ Because her heart won't stop pounding away at her ribcage and her breath keeps hitching as his knuckles sweep across the small of her back while.

 _She is_ _ **so**_ _not okay._

Jemma almost opens her mouth to tell him as much, but suddenly Fitz is completing his task, his hands are moving away from her, and she can feel his gaze scanning her up and down. Jemma can feel the way his eyes trace the dips and curves of her hips and she suddenly can't take it any longer. Spinning around, hair flying back over her shoulder, Jemma leans into him before he gets the chance to walk away. "Hi."

"Hi." He leans his forehead against hers and his eyes brighten as if she's too overwhelming for him to handle. She smiles at the sight because she feels just as overwhelmed looking at him.

"Fitz?" Jemma mutters, no louder than a whisper, and laces her hand through his. If he hadn't immediately squeezed her hand tightly in his grip, Jemma wouldn't have even known if he'd heard her at all.

His eyes are open again, staring right into hers, and her name leaves his lips in a whisper. "Jemma."

"Kiss me."

Fitz doesn't need to be told twice. Before she can fully register what's happening, everything around her is gone and she becomes completely consumed by all things Fitz. His callused hands send shivers across her skin as they release her own fingers and trail upwards, ending their ascent at her jaw with his thumb caressing her cheeks as he takes her breath away with a fiery kiss. She vaguely registers the feel of tight curls beneath her fingers, creating knots that will take a long time to comb out, but she doesn't care - at least not enough to stop - she's always kind of had a thing for curls.

When they need to breathe Fitz pulls back slightly and Jemma immediately whimpers at the loss of contact. Although, the reason for her whimpering quickly shifts as Fitz's lips re-attach to her jawline before she can even fully catch her breath. His arms are securely holding her waist, pulling her as close to him as possible. And he begins muttering in her ear in what Jemma can only define as a slightly breathless growl.

"Wanna come with me to..." He lays a kiss to her neck. "To..." Another kiss to her pulse point. "Umm..." The faintest of bites to her shoulder, quickly soothed over with his tongue.

"Where Fitz?" Jemma's breathless when the question leaves her mouth and she tightens her grip on his hair as he continues to nip at the smooth column of her throat.

" _The Bus_... afterwards. After the show. Do you want to come with me to the Bus?" Fitz finally manages to get the words out between kisses, but just barely.

Jemma leans back in his grasp as she registers his question and suddenly she becomes genuinely confused. "Don't we all have to go to the Bus anyways? As a cast and crew?"

"Yeah but it's the essence of asking you to go. Like… you know. Do you want to _go_ with me. Never mind forget it. It was stupi-"

It's Jemma that kisses him this time and it's slow and languid and causes a fission of heat to work its way through her body. She pulls back just long enough to whisper, "Of course I'll go to our mandatory cast after-party with you," against his lips before reattaching them to her own.

She can feel his grin against her lips for a brief moment before he's tugging her closer and using his mouth to do more than smile. There's an ebb and flow to their kissing, ranging from soft and affectionate to rough and heated, and Jemma quickly decides that she and Fitz are most _definitely_ better when combined. Her mind goes blank and all she focuses on is the way Fitz's lips feel against her own and the patterns he's tracing along her back with his fingers. They spend who knows how long in the small hallway and Jemma is just about to tug him into her dressing room when…

"Fitz!"

Jemma and Fitz break apart at the sound of Skye's voice yelling down the hall.

 _Oh_ _ **now**_ _, she decides to show up. Nice timing._

Jemma extracts her fingers from Fitz's curls and takes a small step back in order to shoot her friend a look that she _hopes_ properly displays her irritation at being interrupted. Unfortunately Skye is glancing at her clipboard and therefore misses the annoyance that Jemma is sending in her direction. She finally looks up and glances at Fitz as she begins to speak.

"Would you mind taking a look at one of the lights, it just stopped working and we kind of need it to…" Skye trails off when she notes Jemma's glare, Fitz's flushed cheeks, and both of their erratic breathing. "Oh. Umm..."

"It's okay Skye, I'm coming." Skye nods appreciatively at Fitz's words, shooting Jemma an apologetic look before promptly scurrying down the hallway and back out of sight.

Fitz buries his head in the crook of Jemma's neck and lays the gentlest of kisses against her skin. "Break a leg. I'll see you soon." He shifts slightly and brushes his lips against hers briefly before shifting once more so that the shadows of the stubble on chin scrape gently against her neck, whispering, "And FYI… Hand's dresses are _very_ Jemma-friendly," in her ear before pulling back and away.

Fitz winks as he turns to move down the hallway and the blush that blossoms across Jemma's cheeks lasts long after he rounds the corner and disappears from sight.

 _ **OPENING NIGHT- BACKSTAGE…**_

Coulson is pacing in the wings of stage left, running his hand over his face in exhaustion as he tries to mentally go through every problem that he and everyone else involved with the play is facing. He'd come close to crying the other night and it had only been May's calm demeanor that kept him in check. She'd been instrumental in keeping him from having a nervous breakdown and now she's somewhere with Ward and Raina making sure that neither kid bolts before the play begins.

She hadn't given him many details of her talk with Fury, claiming that she didn't want to give him anything else to stress about. While he appreciates the thought, Coulson _knows_ that Garrett had likely been the topic of discussion. He clenches his fists at the thought and sighs as he thinks about how one bad influence could create two bad seeds. They'd done a real number on him but it seems as though it's Skye who's really paid the price for Ward and Raina's scheming. He'd heard the story so many times at this point that Coulson feels he was actually _in_ the Triskellion when the public humiliation had gone down.

He himself _knows_ that the exchange between Skye and Ward hadn't been romantic in the slightest and feels more than a little responsible for the position she's in. She's spent _weeks_ teasing him about his desire to bring FitzSimmons together and, while she hadn't been wrong, what Skye hadn't realized was that Coulson was just as invested in seeing _her_ get her happy ending with Trip.

He groans in frustration at the realization that he'd only managed to drive them apart and shudders at the memory of a teary Skye storming into his office and demanding that he let her resign as stage manager. It'd taken him nearly an hour to convince her not to and Coulson strongly suspects that the only thing that made her agree to stay was the fact that he almost started crying himself. She'd finally relented to his pleading and, other than making him agree to skip the week's rehearsals, Skye had left just as committed to the play as she'd been before the cast dinner.

Coulson had spent a full hour after Skye's departure with his head in his hands, contemplating what he could do to right all of the wrongs that had been made.

When he spots Trip scurrying towards the costume department, Coulson decides that it's a good time to start righting said wrongs. "Trip! A word."

The boy skitters to a halt and warily looks around, likely for backup or an unnecessary witness, before hanging his head slightly and making his way over to Coulson.

"Sir?"

"It's come to my attention that you might be the reason for the crying Skye that came to my office the other day asking to quit the play." Coulson crosses his arms and gives the boy a stern look, silently reveling in the way Trip hangs his head and scuffs his feet against the floor.

 _That means he feels bad. Good. There may be hope yet._

Trip nods his head slowly but doesn't make eye contact as he says, "You'd have to ask Skye what made her cry but… There may be a slight possibility that I was partially responsible."

Coulson keeps his gazed fixed on the boy as he releases a frustrated sight. "I want you to know how disappointed I am Trip. I've never known you to be anything other than kind and compassionate and… I can't believe you would do something so hurtful to one of your friends. To _Skye._ "

Trip lifts his head and Coulson can see the emotion in his eyes so he quickly continues speaking before the boy can make a retort. "I've heard everything Trip. And, while I understand that you were in an emotional place during your… tirade… I need you to understand that I don't condone your behavior. And I think you should think long and hard about whether or not your reaction to the _staged kiss_ that I asked Skye to do with Ward was something that really warranted your derogatory remarks."

Coulson turns on his heel at this and walks off in search of May, leaving a gaping Trip to process this new bit of information.

-O-

Trip is bouncing on the balls of his feet as he rolls his shoulders in preparation for the big show. He nods his head at Mack when the other boy walks past him but, for the most part, keeps to himself. He hopes that his reclusiveness seems to have more to do with nerves over the show and less to do with the fact that there's really only _one_ person that he wants to talk to right now.

Coulson had really dropped a bomb on him and he's spent the past half hour trying to remember every detail of the kiss he'd witnessed. He hadn't seen anyone else from where he'd been standing, but Coulson's words just reminded him that the Director had been spending more time working with Donnie in the balcony than anyone else over the final rehearsals.

He feels bile rise in his throat that has absolutely nothing to do with pre-show jitters.

There's a hollow feeling in his chest when he glances over at where Skye usually stands in the wings, clipboard in hand as she aggressively shouts commands into her headset, and he clenches his fists at his side as he notes that she's nowhere to be seen now. He's not sure what he'd been expecting, May had already told him that she wasn't going to show but a part of him had been expecting her to be her usual wildcard self and stride in like the boss she is.

Trip sighs again in dismay as he thinks about what a complete and utter ass he's been. He's never believed in the dumb pre-performance superstitions that some of the others have but, as he shuffles over to Skye's usual spot, he makes a silent vow to make things right and knocks on the wood of the podium that she tends to lean against.

 _ **OPENING NIGHT- TEN MINUTES BEFORE THE START OF THE SHOW…**_

Fitz is hustling through the maze that is the backstage area, weaving his way through various props and set pieces as he rushes towards stage left in preparation for the start of the show. He slides into his position next to Trip and bounces anxiously on his feet as he tries to calm his nerves. He can hear the buzzing of the audience but it does nothing to tune out the sound of his hammering heart.

Fitz is well aware that the massive crowd on the other side of the heavy red curtain is only _partially_ responsible for his irregular heartbeat. The main source of said heart palpitations is standing in the opposite wing with her eyes closed, no doubt running through the entire play in her mind, and sandwiched between Mack and Bobbi. He stares at her from across the stage, eyes scanning the dress that left his mouth dry when he'd helped her put it on, and can't stop the small smile from breaking out across his face.

The smile grows when he catches Mack's eye as he winks at him and covertly gives Fitz a thumbs up. His grin falters slightly when his eyes flicker to the right and he sees Bobbi staring at him with a look on her face that clearly reads: _you hurt her, I hurt you._

Fitz gulps at the sight and scuffs his shoe against the floor as he nods in understanding and mouths, "I won't," across the stage. Bobbi's eyes narrow for a brief moment before a beaming grin consumes her face and she nods at him in acceptance. In the next second she's nudging Jemma, breaking her from her internal reverie, and causing the other girl's eyes to snap open.

Fitz can see Jemma shoot the other girl an irritated look that disappears almost immediately when Bobbi rolls her eyes and nods her head in Fitz's direction. Jemma follows the other girl's pointed glance and when she meets Fitz's gaze, he swears his heart stops.

The din of the crowd disappears, his pounding heart softens, and all Fitz can hear is a ringing silence. All he can focus on is the girl across from him, the girl he's spent _years_ hiding his feelings from, and he can't quite seem to catch a breath. His eyes move over her frame again and his nails bite into his flesh where they're fisted at his sides.

He can't quite believe that this, that _they,_ are real and that not ten minutes ago Jemma had kissed him like he'd dreamed she would the second he saw her so many years ago.

He feels as though he's a second away from pinching himself so he focuses his gaze back on her face, completely unable to stop the smile that blooms across his face when he spots her caramel eyes locked on his.

-O-

Jemma comes close to actually smacking Bobbi when the other girl nudges her during her _clear_ pre-show ritual, but stops herself upon realizing what a truly terrible idea that would be. Instead she settles for shooting her friend a glare that flickers into a look of confusion when Bobbi gives her a small smile, paired with a truly impressive roll of the eyes, and tilts her head. Jemma takes the clear hint and follows the motion of her friend's nod until she's staring across the stage at Fitz.

His mouth is slightly agape and Jemma feels her pulse quicken as he seems to simply take her in, eyes moving rapidly over her form before landing back at her face. Whatever he sees must be good because in the next second he's grinning toothily at her from across the stage, blue eyes shining with an elation that Jemma is sure is reflected in her own expression.

She can see from here how he seems to be vibrating, in nerves or excitement she's not sure, and Jemma doesn't even try to fight the grin that breaks out across her face. She gives him a small wiggle of her fingers and laughs when he flails his entire arm in enthusiastic reciprocation.

She feels a nudge on either side of her and twists her head from right to left as she takes in Mack and Bobbi's knowing smiles. Jemma doesn't even bother pretending to be unaware of their waggling eyebrows and instead just keeps her beam in place and tries to get her heartbeat back down to a normal level.

Her eyes flicker once more across the stage and she shoots Fitz another coy grin before she notices something, _someone_ rather, behind him and straightens up instantly to see whether or not the exchange she's about to witness will go smoothly or end in another bout of tears.

-O-

"You boys ready? We start in five."

Fitz jumps at the sound of Skye's voice and turns around with a grin at the sight of his friend leaning against the little podium, headset attached to her head, with her arms crossed and eyebrows raised.

"Yep. Good to go."

Fitz gives Skye a wide grin that has her narrowing her eyes in suspicion before she catches sight of something over his shoulder that makes her roll her eyes. Fitz doesn't need to turn around to know that it was likely Jemma that had caused Skye to waggle her eyebrows at him and he flushes red as she begins to snicker at him.

After a few moments Fitz realizes how tense Skye is, despite her teasing laughter, and realizes that her attention is focused solely on him, never wavering once to the boy next to him. Fitz chances a glance to his left and notes that Trip seems just as tense as he stares at Skye with a slightly open mouth and sad eyes.

Fitz can practically _hear_ Jemma telling him what to do and doesn't hesitate to start acting a little early.

"Actually… I just realized that I have to tell Jemma about a line that I changed with Coulson so… I'm just gonna run over there real quick. I'll be right back."

He casts a cursory glance at the large curtain moving slightly with the draft in the auditorium before deciding that nobody in the audience will see him unless they have some inhuman ability to see through solid objects. He scurries across the stage, dodging the various props, and doesn't stop moving until he's reached Jemma, Mack, and Bobbi.

He thinks he might actually be able to feel the glare that Skye is sending his way so he quickly scoots around his three friends to use the looming giants that are Mack and Bobbi as a shield from Skye's stare. And if he uses said glare and need for protection as an excuse to place his hands on Jemma's shoulders and tug her so that her back is pressed against his chest and his cheek is pressed against her temple… well… only Fitz needs to know about it.

He can see Bobbi give him an eye roll in his peripheral vision so he hastily says, "Protect me Jemma. Skye scares me," to try and make their physical proximity seem legitimately necessary.

He feels Jemma's laugh as it vibrates against his chest and Fitz decides that it's something he'd very much like to hear for the foreseeable future. He briefly wonders what else he might be able to feel while this close to Jemma, and silently cheers as he shifts his hands along her arms and feels her shiver against him.

He thinks he may have crossed a line when she shifts slightly and Fitz holds his breath as he prepares for the rejection that is sure to come. He realizes that, at this point, he and Jemma have shared multiple exchanges _far_ more intimate than this one, but Fitz doesn't think he'll ever stop holding his breath around her. He thinks that some part of him will always expect some sort of rejection because he's certain that he'll never fully comprehend that someone as amazing as Jemma Simmons could _ever_ have any sort of romantic feelings for _him._

So yes, he's holding his breath right now, expecting the worst and desperately hoping for the best. Like most instances since they'd cleared the air at lunch, Fitz finds that Jemma does the opposite of what she would have prior to their tentative acceptance of each other's feelings. Within a second of him tensing,

Jemma tugs Fitz's arms more securely around her waist, twines her hands through his, and leans back against him with a small sigh of contentment.

A similar sigh escapes his own mouth and he feels his heart hammer when he tightens his grip and rests his chin on her shoulder, Jemma doing absolutely nothing to stop him. The elation that Fitz feels in this moment is more than anything he's experienced before because, for the first time, he thinks that he and Jemma are on the exact same page, enjoying each moment instead of racing ahead of one another to reach the end first. They're in it together this time, writing their story together, and Fitz knows without a shadow of a doubt that he wouldn't have it any other way.

Jemma shifts slightly in his arms and Fitz grins as she cranes her neck slightly to get a better look at him. She quirks an eyebrow at his unabashed grin but he knows that her own feelings mirror his when the blush spreads across her cheeks and she leans up to press a chaste kiss to her jaw.

When she moves her head again, she sighs in exasperation rather than contentment and nods across the stage. "How do you think _that_ will go?"

Fitz glances warily at where Jemma is looking, noting the way that both Bobbi and Mack seem to mirror his cautious expression, and sighs as he mentally crosses his fingers.

"I have no bloody clue."

-O-

Trip inhales sharply as he watches Skye glare at Fitz's retreating form. She makes no move to look his way and he can feel himself grow more and more worried whatever he and Skye are isn't something that's fixable. He wishes that he'd had the good sense to listen to his friends when they'd tried to talk to him over the course of the week and reflects back to Fitz's almost desperate attempts to get him to listen.

Fitz who was now _with_ Jemma, and likely had a pretty good idea of what had actually transpired between Skye and Ward on that fateful night. Fitz, who had made it _very_ clear over the course of the week that he didn't support Trip's lashing out at Skye. Fitz who is now standing on the other side of the stage, Jemma pressed against him, raising his eyebrows and making it clear that it's time for Trip to make amends.

He sighs and tugs at his ear as he focuses in on Skye. He has so much to say and so much to apologize for and can't quite seem to figure out where to begin.

"I thought you quit."

 _Damn. That was definitely not what he should have started off with._

Apparently Skye agrees because she stiffens at his words before slowly turning her body and glaring at him with eyes that seem to paralyze him where he's standing. There are warring emotions in her eyes, clear anger that she's directing towards him, as well as a deep hurt that makes Trip want to hang his head in shame.

"I didn't _quit._ I just… temporarily resigned. But when I was talking to Coulson in his office he was two seconds away from crying so… I told him I'd be here. Which I am… because I deserve to be. Why should _I_ quit when I've put just as much, if not _more,_ time and energy into this play as anyone else?"

Her voice is biting as she defensively crosses her arms over her chest and juts her chin out stubbornly as if challenging him to argue with her.

He doesn't.

Partially because she's absolutely right, she's put in more hours than most of the cast combined, but mostly because he doesn't want to do or say anything else to piss her off. He'd already done a pretty good job of that and Trip knows that the hole he's dug himself is already big enough without the addition of telling Skye she should have quit.

"Right. Yeah that's absolutely… that umm… that's a good point."

Trip wants to smack himself for his bumbling and silently wonders how Fitz has managed to rub off on him so much. His lab partner's mannerisms seemed to have leeched into him and Trip's about to silently curse his friend before he glances over and sees said bumbling loon with his arms wrapped around the girl of his dreams looking happier than Trip can ever remember seeing him.

 _Hmm… Maybe if the awkward stutters could work for Fitz they could also work for hi…_

"How eloquent. Thanks ever so much for actually _believing_ me when I tell you something."

Skye's words are like bullets shot at close range and Trip winces at the animosity behind them. Evidently Fitz's bumbling charm is only appreciated when it's coming from Fitzhimself _…_ and is directed at one person in particular.

Skye must see the impact her words have had on him because in the next second she's stepping closer with fury in her eyes. "I'm actually surprised you're even willing to be seen in the same vicinity as a _slut_ like me."

Trip feels his heart sink, both at his own cruel words being thrown back at him as well as the unshed tears that are coating Skye's eyes. A crying Skye has never been a sight that Trip is particularly fond of and, a Skye who's on the verge of tears because of _him_ is one that he hopes to never see again.

"C'mon Skye I didn't…"

"Didn't _what_?"

Skye steps forward so quickly, hands balled into fists at her sides, that Trip actually stumbles backwards in a bid to avoid being within slapping range. He still sees the swirling anger and hurt and knows that he has to speak quickly if he has any hopes of salvaging _any_ sort of relationship he has with Skye. He takes a step forward, willingly putting himself within range for Skye's palms, and earnestly speaks as he looms over the girl he's been crushing on for almost as long as Fitz has been crushing on Simmons and vice versa.

"I didn't know! I didn't know that you were running through the scene, I didn't know that Coulson asked you to do it, and I didn't know that the only reason you were kissing Ward was because he tricked you into doing it!"

Skye takes another step forward at this, getting inches from his face, and shakes her head as she stares at him with furrowed brows.

"So _what,_ Trip! It didn't matter if you _knew!_ What mattered is that you didn't _listen_ to me. You didn't even give me a chance to actually _tell you_ what happened. You just acted like a complete asshole and then decided to embarrass me in front of our friends and imply that I was the school's easy lay."

The previously unshed tears are now running slowly down Skye's face and Trip as to link his hands together in order to physically restrain himself from brushing the salt water off of her cheeks. He knows the gesture wouldn't be appreciated and no longer feels that he even has the _right_ to be so intimate with the girl in front of him.

"You're right. What I did was uncalled for, horrible, and would be inexcusable any day of the week if I said it about _anyone._ Doubly so since I said it about _you._ Skye… I'm so sorry. You're right, I was a total asshole. Raina had told me that Ward was looking to get you back and… and I got paranoid. I thought… I thought we had something going…"

"We _did_ have something going Trip! We've basically been dating for the past month! Which is why what you did was so awful. Raina told you that Ward was into me but did _I_ lead you to believe that I was into him? At _any_ point have I given _any_ indication that I was interested in anyone other than you?"

Trip is silenced by this because, the fact of the matter is, she _hadn't._ At no point has Skye herself done anything to make Trip doubt that _he_ was the one she wanted to spend an extra bit of time with. Her words echo in his head, _we've basically been dating for a month,_ and Trip feels the breath leave him as he realizes that he'd messed up far worse than he'd initially believed.

"You're right. You're _right_ andI _know_ you're right but… when I saw you kissing Ward I just… I was crushed! And I lashed out at you because… in my eyes _you_ were the one who was crushing me."

Skye opens her mouth to retaliate but Trip steps forward, as close as he can get without actually touching her, and raises his voice before she can cut him off.

"I know it's no excuse, and I'd give anything to go back in time and take back what I said… to actually ask you to prom like I wanted to but… I _can't._ All I can do is tell you how sorry I am and promise that I'll do absolutely whatever it takes to make it up to you."

Skye takes a step away from him and Trip can see the warring emotions behind her eyes. The hurt and anger are still the most prevalent, but he can see a small flicker of what looks like contemplation. He closes the distance between them, placing his hands on her shoulders, and looks at her with every ounce of sincerity and regret that has consumed him since that fateful dinner.

"Please, _please,_ just give me a chance to earn your forgiveness."

She stares at him, watery eyes blazing with her usual fire, and Trip waits with baited breath for her response. The silence is agonizing but all Trip can do is wait Skye out. He knows that she can rarely go extended periods of time without speaking and straightens up when her brows furrow and her face transforms into one of placid resolve. She opens her mouth to speak and then turns her head away towards the small group of people gathered at the other end of the stage.

Trip follows her gaze and notes the way Bobbi and Mack quickly turn their heads and begin speaking as though they've spent the past five minutes locked in a serious conversation. More notably however, is the way that both Fitz and Jemma keep their eyes trained on himself and Skye. Their hands are entwined and neither is making any attempt at pretending that they're not avidly watching the pre-show, show.

They each raise an eyebrow and give him and Skye pointed looks in such synchrony that Trip wonders how it's taken them so damn long to realize that they're _it_ for each other.

He glances back at Skye whose eyes seem to be locked on the linked hands of their friends. She looks at FitzSimmons with such longing, as though wishing she herself could have something so idyllic, and it makes something twist uncomfortably in Trip's chest. Finally, she lets out a small sigh and glances back up at him.

She opens her mouth again and Trip straightens as he prepares himself for whatever decision she's made. He waits nervously for the words, good or bad, to leave her mouth but just as she says, "I…" she's cut off by the crackling of her headset. Her hand flies to her earpiece and she nods to whatever it is that May or Coulson are saying on the other end.

"Yup, good to go."

She nods again at the response before moving towards center stage.

"Alright, places people! It's showtime!"

Trip sees his friends snap to attention, Fitz leaning down to place a lingering kiss on Jemma's lips before scurrying back across the stage, bypassing Skye, and returning to his position next to Trip.

Under normal circumstances Trip would tease Fitz for the crimson blush across his cheeks but, right in this moment, all he can do is watch as Skye heads back towards them. She moves to brush past him and Trip hangs his head in defeat at the clear rejection. His head snaps up when he feels a warm hand grip his own and is met with Skye's hard stare.

"I'm so pissed at you… and you're still an asshole but…"

She pauses for a moment as she tilts her head to peer at him quizzically and then does something Trip didn't expect to see for a long while, if at all. She rolls her eyes in exasperation and gives him a fleeting peck on the cheek as she grumbles, "Break a leg," under her breath.

Trip feels his heart soar and grins down at her as she looks back up at him in warning. "Don't get excited buster. Your only concern should be the _I'm so pissed at you_ portion of that sentence."

The smile is wiped off of Trip's face and he nods seriously at the girl in front of him to make sure that she knows that he isn't taking her words lightly. He's not going to delude himself into thinking that he's out of the woods yet just because he got a good luck kiss to the cheek, and he's sure to infuse as much genuine understanding as he can into his expression.

Skye's eyes narrow again as she takes him in before she nods once and mutters, "Good," before stretching up and placing a chaste kiss to his lips before pushing him away and brushing past him on her way to her station. Trip looks after her with raised eyebrows and can't fight the smile that slowly makes its way across his face. The smile only widens when Fitz turns towards Skye with an affronted, "Hey! What about me?!"

This causes a bark of laughter to escape Skye, who doubles back and gives Fitz a smacking kiss on the cheek as she ruffles his hair affectionately. "Break a leg Fitzy… And give the crowd something to go wild about in that big wedding scene, yeah? Better yet… give _Jemma_ something to go wild about!"

And with that, Skye flounces into the wings to her podium, leaving a blushing Fitz and a hopeful Trip in her wake.

-O-

Jemma gets halfway through her first set of lines in Act 3 Scene 1 before everything falls into place and she widens her eyes in understanding.

"Now, Ursula, when Beatrice doth come, as we do trace this alley up and down, our talk must only be of Benedick."

She flashes back to being trapped in a wardrobe, listening to Bobbi and Skye talk on and on about Fitz's seemingly out-of-nowhere crush on her, and suddenly realizes that she got Beatrice'd in real life. It had been a textbook move, more specifically a _drama_ book move, and Jemma can't believe that she'd actually fallen for something so obvious. _Especially_ considering that the source material was something she'd had memorized for _weeks._

 _Especially_ since the scene she'd apparently been living was a Skye take on _her own damn lines._

Other than the slight clenching of her fists Jemma doesn't break character, but she catches Skye's eyes in the wings and, based on the rapid paling of her friend's face, she's sure that her expression makes it clear that she's finally caught on to exactly what _OFS_ is.

"When I do name him, let it be thy part to praise him more than ever man did merit. My talk to thee must be how Benedick is sick in love with Beatrice."

Jemma's gaze shifts slightly to where Bobbi is hiding as Beatrice onstage, and arches a perfectly manicured eyebrow at the other girl. Bobbi's reaction is what almost makes Jemma stumble over her lines because the other girl, always so intimidating and poised, shrinks back further into the little nook she's hiding in and widens her eyes slightly.

Jemma wants to cheer at putting Bobbi on the other end of a menacing stare but Donnie's ineptitude, demonstrated by a _slight_ flickering of the lights, snaps Jemma back into her Hero mindset and she continues on with the scene with a newfound understanding of the words she's saying.

When the lights go off and the crew scrambles to change the set for Scene 2, Jemma marches over towards where Skye and Bobbi are cowering offstage.

When she's approximately two feet away, she stops in front of her _alleged_ friends, and crosses her arms in anger as she waits for them to explain themselves.

"Jemma, that scene was grea…"

She throws her hand out to stop Bobbi's clear avoidance tactic and shifts her eyes to focus on the weak link. Skye visibly gulps and shifts uncomfortably where she's standing, lifting her clipboard slightly and pressing it to her chest as though it will be able to shield her from Jemma's glare.

"Okay so… clearly you've put things together…"

Jemma nods woodenly at this and raises an eyebrow, waiting for Skye to continue.

"We… umm… we may have expended a decent amount of time and energy trying to set you up with Fitz…"

"OFS." Jemma's jaw clenches at the words and she has to will herself not to say or do something that will get her in trouble.

"Yeah… Operation FitzSimmons. Look, we just all knew that neither of you would ever make a move unless you got a little push! So we just took a _little_ advice from Bill Shakespeare and thought it might speed things up a bit!"

"You lied about Fitz having feelings for me when you knew I was in the room."

"What?! No! We just lied about Fitz asking to play _Claudio_ becauseof you."

Jemma glances to where the topic of discussion is standing onstage, perfectly executing Scene 2, and feels the tears prickle her eyes. Fitz is gesticulating wildly and Jemma's heart lurches at the sight of him with his blue eyes shining in the spotlight and his teasing grin directed towards Hunter's Benedick. She's met with the dawning realization that, if Skye and Bobbi had played such a heavy hand with her, Fitz had likely also been on the receiving end of some Shakespearean matchmaking.

"And you probably had the boys do the same thing with him. Fitz _doesn't_ like me like… that. You just tricked me into thinking he did so _I'd_ be the idiot to do something about it."

Skye's eyes widen at this, Bobbi's do as well, and both girls begin to rapidly shake their heads at her words.

"No, no, no! That's not it at all!"

"Jemma, c'mon. Literally everyone at SHIELD _other than you_ has known that Fitz has harbored the crush of all crushes on you since basically the first day of school. Think about the breakfast at the Bus! Most of us didn't even _know_ about your date, let alone the details of it!"

Jemma pauses at this and the words spark a small bit of hope in her as she realizes that Skye has a point. The trickery of her friends had only put the thought in her head, she hadn't taken any action, and neither did Fitz until Skye brought up the infamous date at breakfast. Everything that had happened since then, at least on Jemma's end, hadn't been all that influenced by what she'd overheard Bobbi and Skye talking about from inside the wardrobe.

"…mean _look_ at him. He's not even _trying_ to be subtle about the fact that he's blatantly staring at you right now."

Jemma snaps her head at this and smiles when she sees that Skye is absolutely right. Ward is going through his monologue and Fitz, who is _supposed_ to have his eyes trained on the other boy, is instead staring over Grant's shoulder at her. Jemma gives him a small thumbs up when they make eye contact and Fitz's mouth quirks upwards for the briefest of moments before turning serious again as his eyes focus back on Ward.

Jemma turns back to her friends with a small smile that she quickly masks with a look of indifference as she takes in Skye and Bobbi's own grins and knowing looks.

"Don't look at me like that."

Their smiles grow and Jemma wants to groan at the sight.

"You had _no right_ interfering."

They cross their arms simultaneously as their eyebrows raise in unison.

"And while I appreciate the _gesture_ next time you two decide to set me up with someone… there's no need for the secrecy and made-up stories. There is such a thing as just _talking_ to me, you know?"

Skye laughs at this and steps forward to give Jemma a hug as Bobbi pats her affectionately on the shoulder.

"We don't really plan on any more set ups Jemma. Fitz is the one."

Jemma realizes that Skye is referring to the fact that Fitz is the _one_ set up that she and Bobbi planned… but the look in her friend's eyes makes her think that there is an underlying meaning within her words. A meaning that makes Jemma's heart rate rise and an all-consuming feeling of warmth to permeate through her body.

She chances another glance at _the one_ in question as Bobbi tugs her towards the dressing rooms for their costume change and the warmth grows as Fitz catches her eye and gives her a less than subtle wink that he'll likely have to justify to Coulson when the scene ends.

-O-

Fitz bolts offstage as Jemma collapses behind him and Bobbi and Hunter rush to her aid. He waits anxiously in the wings as his friends continue with the opening scene of Act 4. He grins at Mack's over the top portrayal of the devastated father and watches in awe as Jemma's cries of anguish reverberate throughout the auditorium. He peeks through a tiny slit in the curtain and proudly notes that his girlfr _…_ his… _Jemma…_ has completely captivated the audience.

After a few minutes Mack and Banner lead an inconsolable Jemma offstage and Bobbi and Hunter are left to finish the scene.

The moment Jemma crosses the invisible line between the stage and the wings, her distraught expression transforms into one of unbridled delight as she launches herself at Fitz. He's a bit startled by her enthusiasm and stumbles slightly under her weight, but quickly regains his balance and grips her tightly. She beams up at him and Fitz feels himself quickly catching her excitement as though it's a mild cold at the start of November.

"Fitz that monologue was _wonderful!_ You nailed it!"

The words come out in a hushed whisper but the decibel doesn't matter so much to Fitz who grows red at the compliment. Jemma's arms move to loop around his neck and she smiles widely up at him, eyes growing mischievous as she notices his rosy cheeks.

"Though when Skye asked me earlier if you and I planned on swapping spit… I thought she meant via _kissing._ Not through an emotional monologue. I mean, yeesh. Say it, don't spray it Fitz."

His eyes widen at her words and he pulls back in mortification as he processes what it is that Jemma is saying.

"Oh _hell._ Jemma I'm _so_ sorry! I didn't mean to…"

"Fitz…"

"…just got so caught up in the scene…"

"Fitz…"

"…didn't realize what I was doing…"

" _Fitz..._ "

"…threw up on you and now I'm _spitting_ on you…"

"Fitz!"

He stops babbling at Jemma's heated whisper and the slight tug of his hair. He looks down at her in embarrassment and desperately wants to break free from her grasp so he can run away and hide until they're absolutely _required_ to do the next scene.

"Fitz I was only teasing. I'm perfectly dry, see!"

Jemma stands on her toes and rubs her cheek against his and Fitz can't help but grin at the new method she's decided to use to prove her point. Then he realizes that his hammering heart and nonsensical babbling was the result of Jemma _messing_ with him, so he pulls back with a frown and glares at her.

"No more teasing."

Jemma's mouth drops open at this as her eyes widen in shock. Fitz _knows_ she's making a show as she looks at him as though he's grown another head.

"No more _teasing_? All we do is tease! No, I'm sorry Fitz. We've spent years teasing each other and, well, I couldn't _possibly_ stop now."

Jemma looks at him apologetically but Fitz sees the mischief written all over her. A slow smile is working its way across her face and Fitz narrows his eyes at the sight as his mind begins to whir. It takes him half a second to put a plan together and he sighs in acquiescence before shooting Jemma the most imploring look he can muster.

"Well if we're not going to _stop_ the teasing, we should at least switch up the _type_ of teasing."

Jemma expression changes to one of confusion and she pulls back slightly to shoot him a questioning look.

"Wha…"

Fitz wastes no time and pulls her flush against him, crashing his lips against hers before she can finish the question. His hands slowly move from her waist to her cheeks, brushing over the smooth swaths of skin that have been left exposed by the small cutouts in the wedding dress she's wearing. Jemma stiffens at the initial contact but almost immediately melts into him as he parts her lips with his tongue. He _swears_ he hears her whimper and uses the small sound as a sign to keep at it. His hands move to tug gently at her hair as his lips move to work at her neck.

She's breathing heavily in his ear and it takes every ounce of energy Fitz has not to grin against her throat. Jemma's own hands are gripping his hair tightly and Fitz decides that it's time he get on with what he'd intended in the first place. His lips shift again, capturing her mouth once more as he fuses _years_ of longing stares and silent desires into a kiss that will _hopefully_ make his point. He nips at her bottom lip, tugging it between his teeth, before breaking away completely and taking a few steps away from Jemma.

Her cheeks are flushed, lips swollen from the impromptu make out session, and Fitz prides himself on the somewhat stunned expression on her face. Her mouth drops open slightly, eyes still foggy, and Fitz waits in anticipation for her to figure out what he'd done. As is the case with most things, Jemma is quicker than the average person in putting the pieces together and her eyes narrow as a smug smile breaks out across his face.

"Why you…"

She crosses her arms over her chest and takes a step forward, glowering at him in a manner that makes it clear that she now knows _exactly_ what he'd been doing.

Fitz puts on his best innocent expression and holds his hands out defensively.

"What? I was just _teasing._ "

Judging by the narrowing of Jemma's eyes, she appreciates his teasing just about as much as he'd appreciated hers. He's about to apologize but just as he moves forward and opens his mouth, Jemma grabs him by the tie and tugs his face back to hers.

The kiss she gives him could give Vin Diesel a run for his money. It's fast, furious, and causes Fitz's mind to go blank. She plasters herself against him and Fitz groans into her mouth when she does something with her tongue that seems to instantly turn his legs to jelly.

Just as quickly as she'd pulled him in, Jemma's pushing him away and leaving him with a cloudy head, gaping mouth, and stars in his eyes. She gives him a gloating smirk before brushing past him and heading towards the dressing rooms.

"Hate to be a tease but… I'm running late for my costume change."

She tosses him another grin over her shoulder as she disappears around the corner and Fitz is left having to quickly recite prime numbers in his head as he desperately hopes that he'll be able to remember his next set of lines.

God forbid he mess up the second wedding scene _again._ Jemma would never let him live it down.

-O-

The lights go down and it's silent for a few long moments before the auditorium erupts in applause and cheers.

Coulson is standing in the wings and is on the verge of tears as he watches his young cast make their way back onstage for bows. The applause grows as each pair emerges and, when Fitz and Simmons walk out with their hands linked together and matching smiles on their faces, Coulson's own cheering goes up a few decibels to match the eager whoops of the audience.

The two bow before Jemma turns to whisper something in Fitz's ear that leaves the young boy blushing as he tugs her to the side and extends his arm towards where Bobbi and Hunter are emerging for their own acclamation.

He feels movement beside him and smiles down at a beaming Skye. She turns to him with her standard mischief and pointedly nods at FitzSimmons, whose hands are still entwined as they use their free ones to pat their legs in an attempt at one-handed applause for the crewmembers that are now making their way across the stage.

"It all worked out."

Coulson wants to groan at Skye's effortless ability to audibly smirk but he doesn't have the heart to do anything that might take away from her visible happiness over the FitzSimmons union. He lets a smile cross his face as he takes in the sight of his Hero and Claudio, and silently cheers at the happy ending that the two kids managed to find.

His gaze shifts slightly to where Trip is standing, small smile on his face that pales in comparison to the usually infectious grin that he tends to wear. The boy is staring blatantly at Skye and Coulson turns his head to the girl beside him.

"Did it _all_ work out?"

Skye tears her gaze away from Trip and gives Coulson a scandalized look.

"What happened to, 'I have no personal interest in the relationships of _any_ of mystudents?' I thought you weren't getting involved!"

Coulson rolls his eyes at this and gives his young protégé a pointed look. "We're long past me getting involved considering you and Trip managed to convince me to pull that little stunt with poor Fitz the other week. So, Skye… did it all work out?"

Skye turns her head just as Mike calls for the stage manager, AD, and director to come onstage. She steps forward before turning around and shooting Coulson a coy grin as she moves backwards towards the stage, "No comment Director."

He chuckles at her words and moves to follow her onstage as May ambles up behind him. He gives a small wave to the audience and beams at his cast and crew as they gather together for one final bow. Their hands are linked together and, as the curtain closes, Coulson knows that Skye was right.

It all worked out.

-O-

The raucous noise in the Bus, a combination of excited chatter and elated laughter, permeates throughout the restaurant and makes Fitz completely understand why SHIELD had felt the need to book the entire diner for the late-night hours. Any other customers would have long since departed, likely not wanting to deal with a group of rowdy teenagers still riding high on a successful performance.

The booths and tables are jam-packed with cast and crewmembers alike but most people are milling about, switching tables like musical chairs and making sure to get face time in with everyone.

Ward and Raina are noticeably absent from the party. Whether that was their choice or SHIELD's is a mystery to Fitz but, as he notices the way that Trip is hovering around Skye, he thinks that their absence will likely do more good than harm in the grand scheme of things. Fitz grins when he spots Skye pointing towards the refreshment table and Trip all but sprinting to fetch her whatever it was she'd asked for.

He surveys the room and smiles at the sight of Mack dangling Hunter's car keys above the other boy's head and laughs when it's Bobbi who manages to snatch them from his grip. Hunter pouts at his girlfriend who pats him on the head with a grin and thrusts the keys against his chest. Fitz is happy to see all of his friends and peers in such buoyant spirits, but his eyes are striving to seek out the one person he actually wants to see.

Jemma had immediately made an effort to chat amicably with everyone under the sun and Fitz hadn't gotten much of a chance to speak with her himself. They'd had a flirty walk over to the diner after the play, hands linked and smiles seemingly permanent fixtures on their faces, but the quick convergence of their friends had separated them far sooner than Fitz would have liked, Jemma going off to praise everyone while Fitz made a break for the buffet spread that SHIELD had ordered for those involved in the play.

He cranes his neck now in search of her and sees that she's chatting excitedly with Skye and Bobbi over at the table that had quickly been laden with dessert after pre-paid dessert. Fitz feels like an utter sap when his first thought is that Jemma's the sweetest thing in the room, but the ridiculously cheesy thought doesn't stop him from working his way towards the table and not at all subtly bumping into Jemma- enough for her to stumble forward- while reaching for a gooey brownie.

"Hey watch where you're…"

Jemma's voice tapers off when she catches sight of him and Fitz grins down at her before shoving a brownie into his mouth and letting out a garbled, "Oops. My bad."

She raises an eyebrow at this and Skye and Bobbi start snickering when she swats his hand as he reaches down to pluck up the last brownie on the platter. He gives her a mildly affronted look before moving his hand again in the direction of the dessert, only to _again_ have his trajectory thrown off by Jemma smacking his hand off course. The next second she's snatching the baked good from the table and biting into it tauntingly, ooh-ing and ahh-ing as she polishes it off and leaves Fitz gaping at her in horror.

She swallows and Fitz watches her throat bob and his brownie disappear completely. At this point Bobbi and Skye are high-fiving behind Jemma's head, yelling, "Yeah show him Jem," and the sight along with the words makes Fitz's eyes narrow. Jemma looks at him with doe eyes and a feigned innocence that Fitz sees through completely.

"Oh I'm sorry Fitz, did I just eat the last brownie? My bad. _So_ sorry that you won't be able to enj…"

Fitz crushes his mouth to Jemma's before she can finish her teasing statement. They'd spent years talking over one another but, after their exchange in the wings earlier, Fitz has come to conclusion that the best way to cut Jemma Simmons off mid-sentence is to kiss her with all of the pent-up emotions he's been carrying since she'd first corrected him in freshman orientation.

She gives a startled gasp when he tugs her closer to him but in the next instant her hands are tangling in his curls and her tongue is tangling with his as they battle each other in earnest. Unsurprisingly, Fitz finds this battle of the tongue to be far preferable to their past debates, and moves his hands to squeeze her waist. He can taste the faint remnants of the brownie she'd just eaten and grins against her as he swipes his tongue across her lips.

Everything fades away and all Fitz can focus on is the way that Jemma's fingers weave through his hair and the press of her against him. His ears are flooded with the sound of white noise and it takes a few long moments before he realizes that it's _actually_ the sound of uproarious applause and hoots of enthusiasm.

He pulls back slightly, blinking sluggishly down at Jemma as her own eyes slowly open, and glances around to take in the sight of everyone in the Bus staring at the two of them and cheering at their moment of PDA. He steps back and blushes at the hoots and hollers of his peers and bashfully stares at his feet as he tries to hide from the attention. His hand moves to rub his neck in embarrassment and he mumbles a soft, "Sorry," in Jemma's general direction.

-O-

Jemma grins at the sight of Fitz's dejected expression after her thieving of the brownie and her smile grows at the sound of Bobbi and Skye cheering behind her. She shoots the boy in front of her a regretful look that she _knows_ he can see through and begins a mock apology that is immediately cut off by the press of his lips.

Her eyebrows raise in surprise at his forwardness, the second- arguably _third-_ of the night _,_ but her initial shock doesn't last long. Her hands immediately move to run through the hair that she'd spent the better part of four years fantasizing about and she grins into his mouth when she feels his hands move to grip her waist.

The kiss ratchets up pretty quickly and Jemma is soon left as close to swooning as she thinks she'll ever come. She nips at Fitz's bottom lip, payback for his earlier teasing, and smiles as her ears are flooded with the sound of her thumping heart. All too soon Fitz is pulling back and Jemma is left gasping for air as she process the fact that the thumping wasn't her heart, it was the steady applause that her friends had erupted in.

She stares at Fitz with her mouth slightly agape before turning her head to take in the smiling faces of her peers. For a brief moment she wants to run away and hide in the furthest, darkest, corner of the world, but the thought quickly leaves her mind as she realizes that there's no reason to. She's just as happy, if not more so, about Fitz's act of PDA and turns to tell him just that.

She's a bit startled when the dolt begins _apologizing_ for giving her the best kiss she'd experienced in her short life, and moves to step forward and grasp his hands in her own. He looks up, face still rosy from embarrassment, and Jemma can't stop herself from placing a firm peck to his crimson cheeks. She falls back to her feet and beams up at him, hoping that her elated expression will clue him into the fact that he has absolutely _nothing_ to be sorry for.

Evidently he's able to put the pieces together because he shoots her a timid smile and squeezes her hand before wrapping an arm around her shoulder and turning so that they're facing Bobbi, Skye, and the recently appeared Hunter and Trip.

The girls are cooing at them and Jemma beams as she wraps her own arm around Fitz's waist, tugging him closer and pillowing her head against his chest.

She gives Trip a pointed look and he nods his head at her before breaking away from the group and moving towards the center of the room. "Hey! Attention, attention!"

The crowd grows silent as the entire restaurant peers at Trip in question. He does a quick 360 degree spin, taking everyone in, before stopping to face Skye and his smaller group of friends. Jemma feels Fitz's breath wash over as he whispers, "Do you know what this is about?," into her ear. She just hums in response and bites her lip to fight off the grin.

Because the answer is yes. She knows _exactly_ what this is about. So does Bobbi by the looks of it because she's looped her arm through Skye's too keep the other girl in place.

"First of all… How 'bout that FitzSimmons kiss? Took long enough, amirite?!"

There's another round of hoots and hollers at this and Jemma shifts slightly to tuck her face into Fitz's chest to hide in embarrassment. She feels Fitz's groan more than she hears it and smiles softly when she feels his own head duck down and away from the eyes of their peers.

"Aww… Look at 'em. Alright, alright. I'm done calling you guys out FitzSimmons. Actually… I wanted to take this moment to call out someone else. Someone who did something pretty terrible last weekend…"

Jemma stiffens slightly at this and notices that everyone else in the room seems to as well. Ward and Raina were noticeably absent and the rumors about their little scheme with Garrett had spread like wildfire in the few hours since the end of the play. There'd also been a rumor that Garrett had been canned earlier for conspiring to get Coulson out of the running for the in-school promotion. Jemma hadn't seen anything in person, but the whispers in the hallway had all but been confirmed by the substitute teacher who had taken over Garrett's classes. She herself thinks that Ward, Raina, and Garrett should _certainly_ pay for their actions, but isn't exactly sure that a happy occasion such as this is the time or place for Trip to draw attention to the situation.

"… and that person, is me."

Jemma straightens at this and glances curiously at Trip before her eyes flit over to where Skye is staring determinedly at her feet. The light bulb goes off in her head when she realizes that Trip _is_ doing what she thought he was, he'd just decided to take a different route than the one she'd expected him to.

"Last week we were all gathered at another restaurant where I had _planned_ on asking one Daisy Johnson, more affectionately called _Skye,_ to prom. Instead I behaved like a total asshole and said some truly awful things that I cannot even _begin_ to apologize for."

Fitz tugs Jemma closer to him and she doesn't hesitate to tuck herself into him in silent response. They've always been on the same wavelength, rivals or no, which is why she knows exactly what his tightening arm means. It's a silent apology for their own rocky past and Jemma hopes that he knows that her own tightening grip on him is her expression of regret.

"We _all_ know that I was way out of line, and that the stuff I said about Skye was complete and utter bullshit. She's the best thing about SHIELD in my opinion and I don't think anyone can argue with me when I say that she's one of the hardest working, most passionate people in this entire production."

Jemma's eyes are now locked on Skye's rigid frame and she crosses the fingers of the hand not wrapped around Fitz in the hopes that this impromptu speech will end well for everyone.

"So… with that being said, I just want to first, publically admit to being a total dick. Second, give a shout out to our fearless stage manager who hasn't gotten the credit she deserves. And third, beg the girl of my dreams to please, _please,_ consider going to prom with me."

Jemma sucks in a sharp breath and keeps her eyes focused on her best friend, whose fists are clenched at her side and gaze is locked on Trip. He's giving her an imploring look and is staring at her with such hopeful desperation that Jemma finds herself really, truly, rooting for someone that she'd wanted to slap every day for the past week.

The entire room is silent, everyone glancing between Trip and Skye in slight discomfort as they wait for the latter to have any sort of reaction to the promposal. Jemma begins to slowly count in her head and makes it to 76 before Skye moves forward and reaches Trip in four long strides.

In the next second she's punching the taller boy in the shoulder with enough force to make him stumble backwards with a shocked expression. His hand moves to rub at the section of his chest that had just been pummeled by Skye's fist but she grabs it before he can rub the sore spot and tugs him forward and grips his face between her hands before slamming her lips onto his.

The crowd once again erupts into cheers and, this time, Jemma is on the side of the eagerly applauding audience. Hunter is wolf-whistling beside her and Bobbi looks over to shoot her a wink that Jemma reciprocates with a beaming smile.

-O-

After Skye and Trip have been kissing for _far_ longer than what anyone is comfortable witnessing, Fitz moves his arm from Jemma to cup his hands around his mouth and shout across the room.

"Oy! Get a room will you? Bloody hell… Promposals are so stupid."

For a moment he panics that saying such things next to his own… _girlfriend…_ might not have been the smartest decision, but Jemma throws her head back in laughter and joins in on his ribbing.

"Yes, I mean, my _god._ Can't you to take your nauseating affection somewhere else? It's rather sickening to watch."

Fitz grins down at her and she elbows him softly in the ribs in encouragement for him to continue. He's just about to open his mouth when Skye pulls away from Trip and pins him in place with an arched brow and a look that makes Fitz gulp in nervousness. It's a look he's been on the receiving end of before and he'd long since learned that it can only mean one thing: trouble.

Skye and Trip turn to look back at each other, silently communicating before turning to face Hunter, Bobbi, and Mack who are nodding in agreement to whatever question the couple in the center of the room had telepathically asked.

Fitz gulps again when Skye grabs Trip's hand and they begin to walk towards him in what he can only describe as a predatory fashion. He moves to step back but finds himself colliding with a solid mass. He turns around to see that his other friends had formed a small circle around him and Jemma that Trip and Skye complete when they stop in front of him.

"How ironic that _you're_ so openly protesting promposals when _you_ Leopold Fitz, have spent the past _week_ trying to organize one of your own."

Fitz's eyes widen at this and he throws his male friends a betrayed look before trying to deny Skye's claim. "I… that's ridiculous. I haven't… I haven't been trying to organize _anything._ "

Trip grins at this and Fitz _knows_ that he's doomed. He'd forgotten that Trip and Skye are both mischievous in their own right, making them downright _devious_ when together and on good terms.

"Oh _really?_ So if I open up the recent texts on my phone… and let Jemma read them… you'd be okay with that?"

Fitz's mouth drops open and he looks at the very phone that Trip is threatening to show Jemma. He feels the panic begin to build within him as his heart rate seems to double in speed. He can't bear to look at Jemma, too embarrassed by Trip's words, and instead takes a shaky step forward.

"Trip…"

His friend just shakes his head in warning before casually holding his phone out to Jemma. Fitz makes a grab for it but Skye is quicker than him and snatches it from the taller boy, holding it out of Fitz's reach.

"Fitz…"

He hears Jemma's voice behind him but refuses to turn to look at her, instead keeping his gaze locked on the iPhone in Skye's hand.

"Fitz… there's nothing to be embarrassed about."

He ignores her again and is about to lunge for Skye when Bobbi speaks up and stops him in his tracks.

"It's true Fitz, there's nothing to be embarrassed about. Especiallybecause _my_ phone has a slew of texts from Jemma wondering if she should screw tradition and ask _you_ to prom."

-O-

Jemma feels her mouth drop open the second Trip holds up his phone in front of Fitz and mentions something about _certain_ text messages. She can't see Fitz's face from where she's standing behind him, but she _can_ see the way that his ears turn a flaming red the moment that Trip's words reach them.

She feels a surge of hope at the sight, thinking that his reddening skin might actually mean that Trip is telling the truth, but said hope dampens in the next moment when Fitz is hastily denying the claim. She twists her hands somewhat dejectedly in front of her but snaps her head up when Trip questions whether or not Fitz is willing to back up his denial and let Jemma see the phone for herself.

Fitz says the other boy's name in an almost growl, laced with both desperation and warning, and Jemma is immediately put on high alert, the previous hope slamming into her as she realizes that Fitz most certainly _does not_ want her to see whatever is on Trip's phone.

 _Perhaps… perhaps because the thing about the promposal was true?_

Jemma tries to tamper her excitement by biting her lip but she can't quite manage to extinguish the eager glint in her eye when Trip extends the phone in her direction and Fitz lunges for it.

 _It is. It_ _ **is**_ _true._

She wants to squeal at the thought but instead calls out Fitz's name in an attempt to get his attention. He may be confident to the point of cockiness in school, but it hadn't taken Jemma long to realize that, in matters of the heart and relationships, Fitz was _incredibly_ insecure. His brief bouts of forwardness were countered by what seemed to be an almost crippling doubt, and Jemma doesn't want Trip's teasing to put Fitz off of actually following through with his plan to ask her to prom.

She tries again, telling him he has nothing to be embarrassed about, and then finds the blood leaving her face when Bobbi brings up her _own_ texts regarding the biggest social event of senior year. Jemma's head snaps in her friend's direction and her eyes widen as she spots the iPhone dangling from the other girl's fingers.

"Bobbi…"

Her voice is pleading but it does nothing to wipe the threatening look off of her friend's face. Jemma notices that Fitz has finally torn his gaze away from his own phone, still held possessively by Skye, and is now looking at Bobbi. She feels her heart quicken and takes a step forward to try and plead with her friend.

"Bobbi… don't."

Bobbi shoots her an apologetic look, which doesn't seem all that genuine in Jemma's opinion, before looking over her head at Skye and nodding determinedly.

"Hey Jemma!"

"Hey Fitz!"

Jemma turns at Skye's voice and catches Trip's phone just as Fitz fumbles with the device that Bobbi had lobbed towards him. Jemma is about to attempt to snatch the other phone from Fitz's grasp when her eyes land on her name next to _promposal_ on the chat that is open on Trip's phone.

Her eyes skim the message quickly and she feels the smile spread across her face as she reads what Fitz had been texting the other boys.

-O-

Fitz gapes at Jemma as she moves towards Bobbi in a clear bid to convince the other girl to put the phone away, and suddenly forgets about the fact Skye is currently holding _Trip's_ phone, a true arsenal that could potentially destroy him.

His eyebrow raises in interest at the almost desperate quality of Jemma's voice and wonders if her pleading tone might mean that Bobbi was actually telling the _truth_ about Jemma expressing an interest in attending prom with him.

The next moment is a flurry of activity and the next thing Fitz knows, he's lunging for Bobbi's phone as it arcs towards him. He thinks he hears Skye say something to Jemma and is about to turn to see what kind of trouble she's getting into when he spots his name on the small screen of the iPhone that Bobbi had lobbed at him.

His eyes widen when he reads the messages in the group chat and his mouth drops open as he realize that Jemma, as always, had been thinking the same thing he had.

He whips around to face her and gapes openly as she tears her own eyes from the phone cradled in her palms and stares at him in shock. She blinks at him for a moment before a slow smile crosses her face. Fitz isn't aware that he too is beaming until Jemma's eyes flicker to his mouth and draws his own attention to the fact.

"Will you go to prom with me?!"

"Will you go to prom with me?!"

The words leave each of their mouths at the same time and Fitz is already nodding eagerly in response to Jemma's question before finishing his own. She too is grinning at him, head bobbing up and down in enthusiasm, and Fitz doesn't hesitate to scoop her up and twirl her in delight. She lets out a fond laugh at his unbridled giddiness and Fitz doesn't care in the slightest that he likely looks like a complete and utter loon.

He places Jemma back on the floor but she doesn't step away once he does. Instead she stands up on her toes and kisses him fiercely before laughing into his mouth with delight. He pulls back so that he can get a proper look at her, and immediately begins committing to memory the sight of Jemma Simmons grinning up at him with more affection than he'd ever received in his life.

Bobbi and Skye are jumping up and down in excitement and the boys are crowding him and Jemma, patting Fitz on the back and allowing the girls the opportunity to break away and begin an animated discussion concerning dresses and shopping. Jemma becomes fully immersed in the conversation as Fitz gets roped into one about tuxes with the boys, but their hands remain linked behind their backs throughout.

The rest of the night is full of stolen kisses and warm grins that leave Fitz in a complete stupor. Jemma doesn't leave his side and he _definitely_ doesn't leave hers. They spend the evening shifting between hushed conversations with each other and boisterous conversations with their friends, pausing only to squeeze each other's hands or share an affectionate glance.

By the time the group leaves the Bus, Fitz feels as though he can walk on water. The cast and crew part ways and his smaller group of friends, _best friends and girlfriend,_ make their way towards Trip's car. Jemma's arm is wrapped securely around his waist and his own is slung casually over her shoulder as though it's exactly where it belongs.

He looks down at the girl next to him and finds her already looking up at him. Fitz beams at her, slowing his walk so that he can tenderly brush his lips against hers without tripping. She smiles into the kiss, causing a similar grin to break out across Fitz's face, and he decides to forego walking altogether so he can focus on more important things.

He stops moving and shifts his body slightly, using his hand to tilt Jemma's face towards his, and kisses her the way he wants to. It's soft, slow, and sweet. Much like the first _real,_ unscripted, one they shared last weekend, and Fitz is certain that he'll never quite get used to the privilege of kissing Jemma Simmons.

"Hey lovebirds! Pick up the pace! We want to get home sometime this century!"

Jemma groans at the same time he does at the sound of Skye's voice and Fitz chuckles ruefully at their meddling friend. He gives Jemma another chaste kiss before pulling back and, when they break apart completely, Jemma leans against him with a contented sigh that makes something flutter in Fitz's chest. He entwines his fingers through hers and tugs her along towards the group of people that are making obnoxious kissy faces at them.

The same group of people that had banded together to do everything they could to help Fitz and Simmons finally become FitzSimmons.

Twice as smart and better together.

-O-

The car ride home is full of laughter and stolen kisses from each of the couples piled into Trip's van. Hunter and Bobbi spend the majority of the ride sucking each other's faces and, surprisingly, FitzSimmons do as well. Apparently the science geniuses weren't all that opposed to PDA in enclosed spaces, and were _more_ than content making out between heated discussions over the upcoming chem project. Skye, not wanting to be shown up by _FitzSimmons_ of all people, leans over to kiss Trip every time the car gets caught at a red light.

Mack and Lola on the other hand spend the car ride in polite, slightly stilted, conversation that everyone else in the car can see is laced with sexual tension. Lola is dropped off first and Skye wants to smack her head when Mack belatedly asks her if she'd like him to walk her to her door.

The younger girl politely declines, telling him she doesn't want him to go to any trouble, before leaning around his massive frame to wave at the others and thank Trip for the lift home. The short ride from Lola's house to Mack's is filled with a slightly uncomfortable silence as everyone tries to pretend not to notice the somewhat forlorn expression on Mack's face.

When they pull up in front of his house, he turns and shoots them all a warm smile and pats both Fitz and Trip on the back as he congratulates them on finally getting their shit together. Both boys grin at him and the girls wave affectionately, calling out soft, "Goodnights," as he makes his way across his front lawn and into his house.

The van is silent for a few moments as they sit idly in front of Mack's house and Skye quickly shifts in her seat so she can get a better look at the rest of the van's occupants.

Skye looks at the faces of her friends, Trip in the driver's seat grinning at her in a way that makes her heart race; Jemma perched on Fitz's lap in the bucket seat, the two of them huddled together in a way that makes her heart melt; and Hunter strewn across _Bobbi's_ lap in the back seat in a way that makes a grin bloom across her face.

She takes a look at her _family,_ all staring at her with eager expressions,and decides to take initiative and just say what they're all thinking. She grins mischievously as she makes eye contact with everyone and eagerly clasps her hands together as a plan begins to formulate.

"Alright guys… we've _tried_ to let those two sort out things on their own… but apparently they need a little nudge. It's time for us to take action. We need to start Operation MackLola _immediately."_


End file.
